


On the Subject of Soulmates

by PhoenixFire667



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mostly Fluff, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-31 16:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 48
Words: 173,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12136215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixFire667/pseuds/PhoenixFire667
Summary: The Personifications receive information that changes everything and task the Magic Trio to find their Soulmates.Mara has only ever relied on her own strength and her brain, and it has done her well for the last ten years since her sister's death.She may be one of their soulmates, but she has to learn to love herself before she can learn to love anyone else.Her long road to love and happiness begins.





	1. Everything Has Changed

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, everyone! So I started posting this story to Quotev and Deviantart a while ago and decided to start posting it here. I hope you enjoy!

Arthur was down in his basement, flipping through his many spell books. He had received a cryptic message from Flying Mint Bunny that The Higher Powers put new information in one of his books that would change his and the other country's lives forever. No matter how many times he asked, FMB wouldn't say anything more. So here he was, furiously flipping through page after page. Although he had a considerable stack of books beside him he had already gone through, there were dozens more still on the shelves.  
Arthur had lost track of how long he had been down here searching. For all he knew, it could have been days. Sheer determination and curiosity drove him forward. Seldom had the Higher Powers, the ruling class of the magical world, sent messages to any of the Magic Trio. When they had, it was of matters of extreme importance  
"Bloody hell, couldn't They have just sent a memo?! Why must They be so cryptic!?"  
Overcome with frustration, Arthur threw the book in his hand across the room and slouched in his chair. He was exhausted from his constant searching. He knew he needed to calm down and continue. This is outward display of anger wasn't like him, and he knew that if They sent a message, it was important. Heaving a heavy sigh, Arthur got up to retrieve the thrown book. As he picked it up, he looked at the page it landed on, an unfamiliar illustration and passage. He read the title quietly to himself a few times, then out loud a few more. Just to make sure he was reading it right. And he was. Arthur gasped. "Dear God! It's not possible! How could we not have known? This is incredible! I have to tell the others immediately!" He ran up the stairs, book clutched to his chest like it was the most precious thing to him. With that new passage, it had become a priceless artifact, the most important information in any of their histories. As he ran to his phone to call an emergency world meeting, one phrase kept repeating itself in his head like a broken record. With every repetition, his heart swelled with joy and hope for the first time in years. We don't have to be alone anymore! 

THE NEXT DAY London, England  
World Meeting Centre 

Early the next morning, all of the nations sat around the giant table, many of them slumped over in their chairs. For once, they were too tired to bicker and argue. They had all taken late night flights to get there on time, so they were understandably upset when their host, the one who was responsible for their collective jet lag and lack of sleep, was 10 min late. North and South Italy and Spain were taking naps in their seats. And while Prussia looked ready to join them, his brother sat glaring at the door, looking outright offended that England dared to be late. Russia, on the other hand, had his usual happy smile on his face. Although it did look a bit forced and under his eyes sat light circles, making his happy smile that much more unsettling (if that were possible). The nations that were still awake noticed that the longer England was late, the darker the air around Russia became.  
Finally, 15 minutes late, England rushed in the conference room, looking uncharacteristically disheveled. His hair was sticking up, his tie was loose and his shirt was halfway untucked. He made his way to the front of the room, clutching a large worn leather bound book and a stack of papers. Germany stood as England took his place at the front of the room. "Well, it's about time England! What is the reason for this meeting? We have all things to attend to back home. Why are you so late?!" England waved him off. "Sorry. I had some last minute notes to make and lost track of time." England set his papers down on the table in front of him and addressed his fellow nations. "Now, to the reason I called this meeting," He took a deep breath, knowing that is next words wouldn't be received well. "I received a message from Flying Mint Bunny fro-" He was cut off by the boisterous complaints of the room. Only two remained silent, leaning forward, looking at him in earnest. Before he could restore order, an all too familiar voice rang out. "Is zat why you called us 'ear, black sheep of Europe? To tell us about your imaginary friends?” England bit back his normal retort. Now was not the time for arguing. "Please Fro-France. Let me explain." France grew silent, noticing how serious England was. He sat down without a word. The rest of the room quieted. England cleared his throat. "Like I was trying to say, Flying Mint Bunny relayed a message from the Higher Powers, the ruling class of the magical world." At this, Romania and Norway's eyes widened in shock. The rest of the room had seen enough magic done by the magic trio over the years to have an open mind. "Well dude, don't keep us hanging, what did they say?" America shouted. "They put some new information in one of my books that they said would change all of our lives." He paused and started to flip through the book in his hands. "It took me two days, but I found it." England found the page and held it up for the room to see the illustration, two intertwined hearts bound together by a red ribbon. He read the title out loud.  
"On the Subject of Soulmates"


	2. Chapter 1

She ignored the sweat stinging her eyes as she continued to work the heavy bag. She was out of breath and her muscles were screaming at her to take a break, but Mara couldn't help herself from repeatedly punching and kicking the bag. Her anger drove her fists and legs forward when her muscles could not. Mara was furious. Just last month, she had gotten laid off from her position as an assistant to a higher ranking manager at a company she had spent the last two years working for. Although she hadn't gone to college, the manager was a kindly old man who had taken pity on her. He hired her on a temporary basis so she could prove to him she could perform the job well. If she could, he would hire her permanently. She had not only done well, she had excelled. After logging long hours, even on the weekends, with no complaints, he had happily hired her on a permanent basis. The pay wasn’t great, but it was just enough to pay the bills and set a little aside in savings. However, all good things must come to an end. Two years later, the moderately sized company's sales had plummeted, forcing them to start downsizing. Her boss held on to her for as long as he could, but eventually, he could no longer afford to keep her. That was frustrating enough, but adding on to the problem were her parents. They were the definition of moochers. She was still living with them, and they milked her for every penny she earned. While she had been working, it had been annoying but she could afford to fund their many vices. Now that she was unemployed, they still were demanding more money from her, eating into her savings. Eventually, this caused her to no longer be able to attend her self-defense class and to stop renewing her gym membership. This was the last day she could come here. They took and took until she had no more. Then they turned vicious, slinging insults and constantly putting her down. The irony was that while they called her useless for being unemployed, neither of them had been able to hold down a steady job for years. So yeah, Mara was pissed. After Mara expended the last of her anger, she made her way to the locker room to shower. One comforting thought in all this mess was how far she had come in her own self-acceptance. She had always had a thin frame and a high metabolism growing up, no matter how much she ate, she would never gain any kind of weight. Pair that with her height, and everyone assumed she either was a diet freak or had an eating disorder. She hated the way she looked all through high school. She reached her current height of 5 ft 7 in when she was 13. She was always the 'tall girl' and the guys in her school didn’t catch up with her until junior year. She had been afraid to do any kind of exercise because she thought it would make her lose more weight. By the time she reached the end of her senior year, she weighed 130 pounds. However, after she graduated, her metabolism slowed drastically and she quickly started gaining weight. She had always thought she would be happy to gain weight, but once it started happening, she panicked. She had always been thin, that was normal to her. As she continued to gain weight, she started thinking herself to be completely unattractive. It didn’t help that her former classmates started whispering behind her back about her weight gain, and when her parents bothered to talk to her, they repeatedly told her how she was a fat lazy cow. After a few months of this, she signed up for a self-defense class. She had been wanting to ever since she was 16, but now she had the income to do so. After a few weeks, she became frustrated that the numbers never went down on the scale. She was at 150 now. Desperate, she also got a gym membership and started going every day. But after a month, she was frustrated with her lack of progress. She stood in front of her mirror, examining herself as usual, despairing at how soft and squishy her body was becoming. But this time, she noticed something different. She realized that she had curves now. Before her torso went down in an almost straight line, now he hips had widened, causing her waist to dip. And while she wasn't exactly Pamela Anderson, she wasn’t flat chested either. Her arms were starting to show the hint of muscle development. Her thighs were wider and she could see the smallest outline of her calves. Back in high school, her rear was almost non-existent, but now, there was a roundness to it. For the first time in her life, she didn’t hate the way she looked. She was finally becoming comfortable in her own skin. After that, she no longer stepped on a scale. The numbers no longer mattered, just the fact that she was happy with how she looked. She also had a new goal in mind. She no longer wanted to get skinny, she wanted to push her new found strength as far as she could. Who cares if no one thought if she was pretty? She had other things to worry about.   
Mara stepped out of the shower and quickly got dressed. In the years she had been going to the gym, she had definitely gotten stronger. Her arms were a bit more defined and while she had the hint of visible upper abs, her lower stomach had a small pooch. She was ok with that, though. She cursed under her breath when she got outside. The sun had set, her parents were going to be home. She slung her gym bag across her back and took off at a run towards her house.   
She arrived at her front door, cursing again because she saw the car in the driveway. She took a steadying breath and opened the front door. Her senses were immediately assaulted by the smell of cheap booze, cigarettes, and fast food. Once she closed the door, her ears were also assaulted by the slurring voice of her father. "Where the fuck have you been?" He appeared around the corner, using his hand to brace himself against the wall and in his other hand was a half-empty bottle. Even though she knew her father wasn't a violent drunk, seeing him in this state still sent a chill down her spine. She knew that any moment that could change, and she would have to use what she had learned against him. Although both he and her mother never were great parents, the thought of hurting either saddened her.  
They were never overtly mean or nasty to her while she was growing up, but neither were they fitting parents. She was given food and clothes and that was it. They spent the first 16 years of her life ignoring her. Once she did turn 16 though, she was legally allowed to get a job. All of a sudden it was as if they realized they had someone else living in the house. At first, Mara was overjoyed that her parents were giving her attention, even if it was mostly negative. When they demanded she hand over her paychecks, she did so gladly, thinking that if she gave them enough, they would grow to love her. Her hopes were quickly crushed as they kept taking and taking everything she had. She had gotten a second job just to keep up with their demands. Working two jobs and still attending school wasn’t easy, but not only did she pass, she did so with a 4.0.   
She walked past her father into the kitchen, only to see her mother with a cigarette balanced between her thin, cracked lips. She was sitting at the table with a small pile of jewelry in front of her. Mara recognized it as the last of her mother's jewelry and guessed they lost more of HER money at the casino today and had to pawn off more stuff. Her dad stumbled after her. "Hey, you fat THING, I asked you a question!" Mara turned to him, her face emotionless. "I was at the gym." Her father sneered "Well, while you were having FUN, your mom and I were trying to put food on the table. We were on a roll until we ran out of cash. If some LAZY COW would find a job, maybe we could have done better. Once your mom is done, we are going back again." Her mother stood and put all the jewelry in a plastic bag. "If we hurry, we can sell this before the shop closes." Her mother walked past her, not sparing her daughter a glance. They both walked to the door. Her mother paused, and without looking back, she said something to her daughter, for the first time in years. "We got stuck with a shit daughter. The other one probably would have done better." She slammed the door behind her.   
Mara let out the breath she had been holding. She slumped her way to her room, placing her gym bag in a corner. She picked up a small framed photo that was sitting on her dresser. It was one of the few pictures she was smiling in, it was also the last one. Standing next to her with her arm around her was her twin sister, Michelle. Mara set the picture on the nightstand and laid down on the bed on her side, still looking at the photo. The picture was taken on their 16th birthday and they were surrounded by Michelle's friends. She had always been the more outgoing, pretty and smarter twin. She was able to push past everything they went through with their parents and have a semi-normal life. Mara, on the other hand, withdrew into herself. At the party, they had started making plans to move in with their grandparents, who had always said their door was always open if they needed a place to go. Two months after the picture was taken, their grandparents had died within a week of each other. 'Old age' the doctor said. A month after that Michelle died as well. She was mugged at gunpoint. The mugger was hopped up on something, he had shot her in the chest and left her to die in the alleyway along with the money. Mara later found out that her grandparents had left them their house and surrounding 16 acres of land. Now that Michelle had died, Mara was the sole beneficiary. The only thing keeping her from leaving was a $200 plane ticket and a rental car she was still too young to get. As she stared at the picture, the tears started to flow. She was so alone now, all she wanted as for someone to love her, to care. But Mara knew that she was in this thing alone, destined to be stuck in the same rut forever. As the tears wracked her body, a soft glow started to fill the room. It grew brighter until it was almost blinding. Then, as quickly as it came, the light left, taking Mara with it.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!   
> There is some violence in this chapter. Nothing too graphic, no blood or anything, it's just people throwing punches and kicks.

Arthur’s Basement

The Magic Trio sat around a table, studying the passage. It was a few days after the meeting. Arthur had managed to convince the rest of the nations that the passage was real, that they all had Soulmates. Both Lukas and Vlad had agreed to help him to continue studying the passage. So far, they had compiled a small list of facts:

1.Each country personification had a soulmate  
2\. Their Soulmates could be either other countries or humans  
3\. If the soulmate was a human, the higher powers provided a ritual to bind the human’s life to the personification.  
4\. Once the soulmates are Bonded, the human will live as long as the personification. If they die, the human soulmate dies as well  
5\. The higher powers provided a finding spell to start finding their Soulmates. 

Currently, they were making sure they had every detail of the spell perfected. If it worked, it would show them the location and the faces of the destined couple. 

Once they were all confident they had everything right, Arthur volunteered to go first. He was usually pretty reliable outside of summoning anything, so the other two agreed. He started reciting the incantation and almost immediately, a cloud of mist started forming in the center of the room. An image gradually appeared in the swirling mist. A young woman curled in a bed crying, her dark brown hair was twisted into a bun, her skin was pale, with the smallest hint of a tan. Her head lifted and they saw bright emerald green eyes rimmed with red looking around the room as if she saw something. Arthur was still reciting the spell, but he was also committing her image to memory. He was so preoccupied that he didn't realize he had stopped reciting the soulmate spell and had reverted to his much-used summoning spell. Lukas realized the mistake first. “Arthur, stop! You're doing it wrong!” but was too late, a white light started to surround the woman. Arthur stopped mid-spell, cutting the connection. The mist instantly disappeared. Vlad looked pissed, but Lukas was glaring daggers. If looks could kill, Arthur would have dropped on the spot. Lukas slowly stalked towards Arthur. “You messed. It. Up. If you hadn't stopped, who knows what could have happened to her. We don't know what could have JUST happened to her. She could be ANYWHERE.” he stopped, inches away from Arthur. “How are we supposed to find her now?” Vlad stepped in between the pair and attempted to defuse the situation. “We will do whatever we can.”

He turned to Arthur, still upset at him. “But you are going to tell the others.” Arthur nodded, guilt overtaking him. What have I done?

Mara crawled out from a makeshift shelter made out of boxes. She had no idea how she got here, and panic had sunk in. She battled with herself, keeping her breathing steady and her mind clear as she pulled out her phone. She dialed her Father, who picked up on the fifth ring. “What do you want? I'm busy celebrating!” She could hear shouting and cheering in the background. Her Father laughed, something she hadn't heard him do in years. “Your Mom hit the jackpot! We have money now!” “That's great, but I-I need help. I don't know how, but I'm in New York City, and I don't have a-any money or ID. I-I need help getting home.” Her Father scoffed. “Bullshit. You can't be in New York City! But you better be out of the house by the time we get home. We don't need you anymore.” He hung up. Mara stared at the phone in disbelief. She had no way to get home, she didn't HAVE a home. After all she had done for them, after all she sacrificed! THIS is how they repaid her? Fear crept into her heart. She was alone, no money, no ID. In the middle of New York City. I am so fucked.

Six months later

She wandered the streets late at night. It was unusually cold for spring, her breath made a cloud of mist in the crisp air. She hugged herself, trying to preserve what little warmth was left in her frail body. She was wearing the same clothes from that night, how long ago was it? She had lost track, the only thing she could focus on was finding food. She hadn't had more than the occasional half rotted scraps in weeks. She knew they were hurting her more than helping. She would end up vomiting everything up hours later. But her biological need for food kept her going forward. The slightest breeze went right through her. The clothes she had were worn thin, ripped in some places, offering no protection from the elements. Mara turned a corner and she swore she could hear angels singing. Down the road was a popular bar with a thinning crowd. She knew that if she could get to the adjoining alley without being seen, there was a good chance she could get some fresh food in their dumpster. Well, at least not rotten. She crept silently, sticking to the shadows. She was almost there, just a few more feet. She froze instinctively when she heard shuffling behind her. She started to walk quicker. Maybe they hadn't seen her. But no such luck. She felt a large hand grip her shoulder tightly and spin her around. There were three of them, big guys who were tiptoeing the line between tipsy and wasted. “Look what we have here, boys.” The one in the middle sneered, his slurring words reminding her of her Father. She felt a strange mix of fear and hatred fill her as she saw their drunken grins and drooped eyelids. The same guy spoke again. “See? I told you we would get laid!” Mara started to back away. “I’m not a hooker,” she explained, trying to keep her tone civil as to not provoke them further. Maybe they would leave her alone. They all laughed, sending fear straight down her spine. Her brain started flooding her system with adrenaline. “I guess that means it's free.” He reached out his hand again. This time, her own hand snapped out to meet him. She twisted and pulled his wrist, sending him to the ground. While they were distracted, Mara took off running. Too soon, she heard their footsteps pounding behind her. “You're going to fucking pay for that, bitch!” She started going faster. She couldn't feel her legs anymore and the air was burning her lungs but she kept going. She kept her breathing in a steady rhythm. In two paces, out three. In two out three. She repeated it like a mantra in her head. She turned randomly onto unfamiliar streets in an attempt to shake them. She made another turn and barreled into someone, sending them almost on their ass. It was a guy with blond hair and bushy eyebrows. He looked like he was going to yell, then he looked at her and he froze. Mara didn't have time for this, she could hear them catching up with her. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go!” She took off again, aiming for an alleyway she hoped would provide her with some concealment.

It had been Alfred’s turn to host a World Meeting, which had run later than usual. Everyone had been bickering, which was usual. The other Countries had found hotels to stay at in the area, but Alfred had insisted that Matthew, Francis, and Arthur stay at his place. ‘Family Time’ he called it. Matthew thought of it as more of WWE night with him and Alfred as spectators. 

They were walking back to Al’s Penthouse when some girl nearly tackled Arthur. He was about to yell when he saw it was a lady. He instead opened his mouth to see if she was ok when he got a good look at her face. He froze in place. It was her. Her face was a little different, it was covered in grime and fading scratch marks and bruises, and her eyes were wide with fear. But he would recognize her anywhere. It was her! She looked behind her and rushed an apology, sprinting off. A few seconds later, a small group of guys came around the corner, apparently running after her. Arthur stood frozen to the spot, still in shock over who he just saw. “Iggy, Dude, you ok?” Arthur shook himself out of his state and turned to Alfred. “Al, that's her!” Alfred didn't follow. “Who?” “HER, YOU IDIOT! THE ONE I SAW IN THE SPELL! SHE IS ONE OF OUR SOULMATES!” The three of them stood there, shocked. Francis spoke up first. “You are sure of zis?” “Yes, you bloody frog! I’M SURE” They all turned to look where they saw her run off to. Two of them had her pinned against a wall while the third threw punches. This spurred them into action, running to her aid.

That bastard’s punches were sloppy, but they still hurt like hell. Mara jerked and struggled to get free as she was getting punched in the stomach, ribs, and anywhere else his alcohol impeded fists managed to land.

She finally managed to get one arm free. Mara swung her own punch, landing it on the side of the Big Bastard’s head. He dropped to his ass, dazed. The other two were obviously more drunk than Big Bastard, making her job that much easier. She jerked her other arm free and kneed one of them in the groin. He dropped to his knees putting him at the perfect height for her to land a kick to his head. He was out for the count. She turned around and repeated the first step, however when he dropped to his knees, she put him in a chokehold. Big Bastard got his bearings again and saw the predicament his buddies were in. “Look, you crazy bitch, just let him go. No fuck is worth this much trouble.” Mara released him and stepped away. The other two grabbed the one still on the ground and stumbled away. It was only after they were gone that Mara felt the adrenaline leave her system. Her vision started to get fuzzy and she felt her body start to shut down. She expended an enormous amount of energy she didn't have, and now she was paying for it. The world went black and she felt herself fall. Before she slipped into unconsciousness, she thought she felt someone catch her and she heard a faraway voice say “It’s going to be ok. I’ve got you.”


	4. Chapter 3

When Alfred saw she was about to go down, he broke out in a full sprint, quickly overtaking the others. He barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He looked down at the woman cradled in his arms. She was fighting to remain conscious. “It's going to be ok. I've got you,” he told her softly. He took in her appearance. She was covered in angry red marks that were sure to turn into bruises and scrapes in various stages of healing. Apparently, this wasn't the first time she had been attacked. He held her close to his chest, it almost physically pained him to see one of his citizens like this. “I'm sorry, I should have gotten here sooner.” he stood, carrying her bridal style. The others were standing there looking at him with pity. They understood the pain he was feeling. Matthew spoke first “What do you want to do Al?” Alfred replied in a firm voice. He didn't often take this tone, but when he did, others quickly fell into line. “Arthur, call Lukas and Vlad, if she is who you say, we might need their help. Mat, call a car to come get us. Francis, call Yao. We will need his medical expertise.” Everyone quickly got work on their tasks. Alfred looked back at the unconscious woman he was holding. “It’s going to be ok,” he told her again in a soft whisper. “Even if you aren't who Arthur says you are, I'll take care of you.” She was so still, he could only see a small cloud of mist from her breathing. He then noticed what she was wearing. “You must be freezing.” He gently set her down and took off his jacket to wrap around her. He picked her back up, realizing how light she was. Too light… She wasn't skin and bone, but she was close. Matthew tapped him on the shoulder. “Al, the car is here.” Once inside, Alfred sat the woman in his lap, still holding on almost as if he thought she would slip away if he let her go. The others started reporting their progress. “Yao is on his way, he should get zere the same time as us.” “Vlad and Lukas are on their way as well, however, Mathias heard our conversation and will probably be coming with the rest of the Nordics. Lukas said to expect others to arrive sense Mathias can't seem to keep his mouth shut.” Alfred nodded. “That's fine, the rest deserve to know we might have found her.” Realizing that there was nothing else he could do, for now, Alfred let go of his commanding presence and slumped in his seat. Mathew put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “She is going to be fine, Al. Yao will fix her up and we will feed her and she will be ok” “I hope so bro.”

The car pulled up to the Penthouse, where a group of a dozen or so countries were making their way inside. Alfred flew out of the car and sprinted to the elevator, cursing himself for living on the top floor. The girl’s breath had gotten shallower to the point where he almost couldn't see her chest moving. The other countries saw the limp woman Al was holding and they sprinted after him.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Alfred was off again. He didn't bother unlocking his door, instead, he kicked it in. The only thing he could think of was making sure one of his citizens didn't die in his arms. Yao was the first one to reach Al, who had set the woman on the couch. Yao immediately got to work. The others caught up, a few slightly out of breath. The Magic Trio stood behind Yao. “You were right, it is her!” “I agree. It is definitely her.”

Mathias walked up to his friend. “Al, what happened to her?” Al sat down on the coffee table and held his head in his hands as he filled everyone in.

They all stood still, in varying degrees of shock. 

“She fought three adult Males on her own?” Ludwig asked in disbelief. Al nodded, a small smile on his face. “Yeah, it was bad ass.” Al finally looked around the room, taking stock of who was there. All of the Nordics, Ludwig and Gilbert, Feliciano and Lovino, Antonio, Kiku, Sadiq, Hercules, and of course Al’s brothers and Yao. Al didn't think his penthouse could hold anymore. “Hey, Dudes. Let’s not tell anyone else about her until she can get some rest. The last thing she needs is to have everyone bugging her at once.” The room agreed. Arthur knelt down by Yao. “How is she doing?” The Asian man shook his head, his face full of worry. “Not good, aru. I think she has eaten some bad food, she is very sick and her throat shows signs of frequent vomiting. As a result, she is severely malnourished and dehydrated. She also has a fever that is worrying me. The only good news is that there is no internal bleeding. I’m not sure how she was able to fight off anyone, but she won't be doing it again for a while.” Arthur felt guilt wash over him. This is all my fault. I messed up everything. “Is there any way I can help?” Yao paused. “Do you think your magic could help her? I can help her without it, but it would save her some pain.” Arthur nodded immediately, motioning for Lukas and Vlad to join him. Yao moved to give them room. The rest of the room was dead silent, collectively praying for a miracle. None of them liked the idea that their potential soulmate was in so much pain. The Magic Trio started chanting, a soft glow emanating from their hands which were held above the woman. Several minutes passed, the glow getting brighter until it was extinguished. They stopped chanting and turned. “We did all we could for the more serious conditions.” Yao pushed passed them and checked on her. “Her fever is gone, aru!” he said, shocked. After a few tense minutes, he finished his diagnosis. “She no longer appears to be sick, but she is still malnourished and dehydrated. I would not recommend she eats anything heavy for several days, and she needs to be constantly drinking water, nothing else, aru. And she will be physically weak for a while too, so someone will need to be here to take care of her at all times. For now, she needs to rest.” Alfred stood and walked over to the couch. “She can use one of the guest rooms.”

The last thing Mara remembered was passing out. She thought she heard someone tell her it was going to be ok, but she couldn't be sure. She doubted it, though, no one has helped her before, why would they now? When she came to, the first thing she realized was that she was no longer in the alleyway, the surface was too soft. The second thing she noticed were several voices talking softly. When she felt someone grab her, her eyes snapped open, to see a tall man standing over her. Instinct kicked in and she threw a punch, connecting with his jaw. He stumbled back in surprise. “What the FUCK do you think you're doing!?” she shouted. She tried to back away, but she couldn't move. Panic started to set in. I can't move! I won't be able to defend myself! What am I going to do? She saw the room was full of guys. Her heart started pounding against her ribs. She knew she would never stand a chance. Everyone in the room saw how terrified she was and felt pity for her. Alfred slowly walked back to the couch. “Woah, dudett! Calm down, no one is going to hurt you, you're safe here.” Something about his voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. He knelt down next to her, smiling kindly. “Everything is going to be ok.” Her eyes went wide. “Y-you! I remember! You said that to me in the alleyway!” The panic started to ebb, but she was still wary. “You saved me?” He grinned, happy she remembered. “Yeah! And my brothers also helped.” He stood and gestured to an Asian man close by. “This is Yao. He fixed you up.” Mara studied everyone's face closely. She finally decided she wasn't in any immediate danger. She relaxed a little and gave Yao a small smile. “Thank you.” He gave her a small smile of his own and nodded in response. She looked back at the man who saved her. “What's your name?” “Oh! Sorry, I should introduce everyone. I’m Alfred, that’s Arthur, Francis, Ludwig, Gilbert, Kiku, Feliciano, Lovino, Antonio, Sadiq, Hercules, Berwald, Tino, Lukas, Mathias, Emil, and Vlad. Oh, and Matthew.” They all acknowledged her in turn, many smiling at her and a few waved. All in all, they seemed friendly. “Not that I’m not grateful, but why did you bother saving me?” Alfred looked confused. “What do you mean? You were in trouble, we couldn't just let that go.” Mara laughed bitterly. “It wouldn't have surprised me. It would not have been the first time.” she looked at Arthur. “And why did you look so shocked to see me before?” Everyone turned to Arthur, accusatory glares fixated on the blond nation. He shifted uncomfortably. “Well, I think it's time to tell you everything.”

One hour and a million questions later

Mara sat in silence. She was struggling with which piece of information to absorb first. Magic? Living countries? Or maybe the soulmate bit? It just seemed so crazy to her. Arthur had performed small feats of magic for her, otherwise she wouldn't have believed any of it.

“So how do I figure out who my soulmate is?” Mara settled for the topic that gave her less of a headache. One of the magic dudes, Vlad? Answered her. “There is a ritual we have planned out that should work. It's pretty simple, actually.” “But we are going to wait until you get better.” Arthur interjected. “Speaking of that, I think it's time for you rest now.” Mara nodded and tried to stand. As soon as she stood, she collapsed into a heap. Her legs refused to hold her. “Well ok, then. I guess walking is out of the question.” Yao rushed to her side, picking her up with care. “Are you ok?” Mara was slightly flattered that Yao sounded so concerned, but she still didn't understand why, though. They had only just met. “I'm okay. Just bruised my pride a bit.” Yao chuckled. “I may be talented, but I don't think I can fix that one, Aru.” Al walked up to them. “I’ll show you the room you can use.”

The room was nice, a little bare, but comfy. There was a good sized bed in the center of the room with a light blue comforter and pillows, a large white dresser, a desk with a red chair, and a vanity. The walls were a light cream. It looked like it hadn't been used in a while.

Yao gently set her on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. “Do you need anything...?” Yao paused, confusion clear on his face. “I'm sorry, we never asked for your name.” “Oh! It’s Mara Romero, and, no, I'm ok. Thank you, again. ” He smiled. “You are quite welcome.”

Both Yao and Alfred said goodnight and left the room.

Mara fell asleep with a smile on her face, first in a while.


	5. Chapter 4

Mara was awoken by the smell of food. Fresh food! Her eyes opened to see two men who looked remarkably similar yet, different. One had Auburn hair and light skin, the other had brown hair and tanned skin. But what was more important was what they were holding. “Good Morning, bella! We brought you breakfast!” They stood on either side of the bed and placed a plate of pastries in front of her and a large glass of water on the nightstand. “Oh, wow, thank you!” She looked up at them gratefully and remembered who they were. “You guys are both Italy, right? Lovino and Feliciano?” Feliciano nodded happily, but Lovino looked at her with wide eyes. “Is something wrong?” He shook himself out of it and grinned at her. “Not at all, bella ragazza.” Mara bit into one of the pastries and her eyes almost rolled back into her head. “Oh my god…” she finished chewing before she continued. “That is so good, it’s been so long since I’ve had real food!” Feliciano giggled at her reaction. “I’m glad you like it bella. We made it this morning!” Mara looked at him with wide eyes. “You guys made this?” He nodded again. “We wanted to make sure you had a good breakfast!” “Not that I’m not grateful, but why?” Feliciano’s smile dimmed a little in confusion. Lovinio’s face softened. He understood. “Because, bella, we wanted to do something nice for you. You deserve nice things, bella ragazza.” Mara didn’t fully believe that someone would be this nice to her out of the kindness of their own hearts, she had pretty much cut herself off from people her whole life, so she didn’t have much experience in dealing with people. “Well, thank you.” She gave a polite smile and continued to wolf down the breakfast. The two brothers stayed there the whole time, filling the silence with idle chatter and occasional bickering. Mara enjoyed their commentary, she would even giggle occasionally, much to their delight.

Mara finished the last bite of food and leaned back against the headboard. “Ah, I can’t remember the last time I was this full!” Lovino chuckled. “Well, as long as we are here, we can cook for you as much as you like.” “Si! Next time we can make you pasta!” “She would like pizza better, idiota!” She sensed more bickering ahead, so Mara quickly intervened. “Is anyone else awake yet?” Luckily it worked. “Si, bella. Although most of them had to go back home already. Fratello and I will have to leave tomorrow.” Feliciano said sadly. “Well, in that case, can one of you help me get to the living room? I should try to get to know everyone considering…” She trailed off, remembering the situation she was in. “Considering one of us is your soulmate.” Lovino finished for her. “Yeah. It’s still weird to think about it. Hell, the whole thing is still weird to me. Part of me still thinks I’m going crazy. I mean, personifications of countries?” “Are you ok with that bella? I can imagine it would be hard to get all that information at once.” Feliciano asked in a soothing voice. Lovino placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Well, to be honest, it’s a bit hard to wrap my head around, but the thing that gets me is the fact that one of you is my soulmate. It’s weird. A good weird, I guess. But still strange.” There was a silence, and Mara remembered her audience. “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend anyone, it's just-“ Feliciano cut her off with a smile and a shake of his head. “It’s ok, bella. We understand. It’s a lot.” Lovino nodded and removed his hand from her shoulder. “Do you want us to let you rest?” Mara thought for a bit, then shook her head. “No, I couldn’t sleep now if I tried.” “Then we will help you to the living room. I know the others are excited to talk to you.”

The rest of the week as the countries trickled out of the apartment to go home, Mara spent her days in the living room conversing with everyone. They all seemed nice enough. Some were too shy to talk to her, like Ludwig and Matthew. Mathew stayed the longest considering he was Canada and lived the closest. He only really came out of his shell once everyone else had left and it was just him and Alfred. He would initiate conversation and carry her where she needed, and once she could walk, he would let her hold on to him for balance. Alfred was usually at work, but when he got home, he was always super attentive. He would cook her dinner and made sure she had everything she needed. Mara was slightly uncomfortable with all of the attention but was grateful all the same. Maybe they are just really nice people. They might not actually want anything in return... Mara sincerely hoped that was the case, but doubt was ever present in her heart.

Only time would tell if Mara’s slowly developing trust in the nations would be rewarded, or betrayed.

Two weeks later

Mara was mostly healed up by now. She was able to get around by herself and her bruises had started to fade into light yellow blotches. All of the other countries had gone, leaving just Alfred and Mara. He was still gone most of the day for work, leaving Mara the penthouse all to herself. He told her to make herself at home and to eat whatever was in the fridge. She was no longer underweight and was finally looking like her old self again. She was under strict orders from Yao to not attempt any strenuous activity, so that left out working out or any kind of training, much to her disappointment.

Alfred loved having Mara stay with him. He would never admit it, but he was lonely. The other countries thought he was annoying, so the never visited him. Gil and Mathias were the exceptions, but they lived so far away that their visits were few and far between. He was excited to come home now, knowing Mara would be there waiting for him. He was teaching her about video games and she was already pretty good. He couldn’t believe she had never played them before. She would just say she never had the opportunity, but he could tell she was hiding something. He acted obliviously, she would tell him when she was ready. He hoped she would end up being his soulmate. Not because he loved her or anything, but because if she left, then he would be alone again.

Today when he got home he was surprised to see Arthur sitting with Mara over a cup of tea and holding a conversation. “Hey Bro! What are you doing here?” “Ah! There you are, Alfred. I was just coming to check up on Miss Mara here. And to see if she was willing to find her soulmate.” Alfred felt his heart drop to his stomach. Already?! I thought I would have more time! Mara saw the look on his face. “Hey, Arthur? Do you mind making some more tea? It’s really good!” He smiled. “Of course love, I’ll be right back.” As soon as he left the room, Mara rushed over to Alfred. “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you ok?” Alfred gave a small nod. “Yeah, I just thought I would get more time to hang out with you.” He said sadly. Mara smiled encouragingly. “It’s going to be ok. No matter what, I’ll come back to visit all the time.” He looked up. “You promise?” he asked excitedly. “Of course!”

As soon as Arthur came back with the tea, Mara told him she was finally ready. Arthur got excited and practically jumped up. “Brilliant! I have all the materials with me so we can get started a once.” Mara became nervous as she watched him get everything ready. She really did want to find her soulmate, but she was also scared. This will be the person she will spend a LONG time with. What if they didn’t like her? What if they didn’t get along? What if they didn’t want a soulmate? Similar thoughts swirled in her head. All too soon, Arthur had everything laid out on the coffee table. A large stone bowl filled with water, various potion bottles and a small sewing needle. As he mixed in the potions, Arthur explained what was going to happen. “Once the bowl is prepared, you will prick your finger with the needle and squeeze a few drops of your blood into the bowl. I will say an incantation and the face of your soulmate will appear in the water.” Mara swallowed her nerves. “Is that all?” “That’s all, dear.” “Ok. Let’s do this.”

He handed her the needle. This was it. There was no going back after this. With a steady hand, Mara pricked her finger and squeezed a few drops into the bowl. Arthur started to chant and an image started to appear. As he finished the incantation, the image came into focus.

 

In the water, Mara saw…


	6. America's Route Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara sees Alfred's face in the water. Mara is relieved that she got someone she already knows and is comfortable with. Alfred is happy that she won't be leaving him.

Alfred. Alfred? Oh my god. Mara jumped up. “Hey, Al!” He turned, looking apprehensive. “What? Who did you get?” “I got you, Al! We’re soulmates!” Alfred stood rooted to the spot. “Al, you ok?” Mara asked, starting to get worried that he didn’t actually want her as a soulmate. All of a sudden he ran over to her, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground. He started to spin around and they both started laughing. Arthur had packed his things away and was heading for the door. “Well, my job is done here. Oh, and Alfred?” Alfred set her down but still held on tight. “Yeah Iggy?” “Don’t forget about ‘Bonding’, her life is only tied to yours after you two fall in love and kiss.” Alfred laughed, a small blush on his cheeks. “I remember bro, don’t worry.” At that, Arthur left. Alfred looked down at the woman in his arms. Her eyes were closed and her head was resting on his chest. I’ll never have to be alone anymore. “Hey, dudett?” Mara looked up at him. “I’m glad you’re my soulmate.” Mara blushed a lot bit. “Me too, Al.” He gave her one last squeeze before stepping away. “I’ll go call my boss and tell him the good news! Then I’ll see if I can’t get some time off so we can hang out and get to know each other better.” “That sounds great.” She giggled and he bounded off. Mara laughed softly as she watched him. It was lucky they ended up as soulmates, not only didn’t she have to move, she also already had a soft spot for the guy. He was always able to make her smile and he somehow always knew when she needed a hug. He was actually the only person she let hug her, she didn’t really know why. It just felt…right, when he hugged her.

A few minutes later he walked back into the living room, a huge grin on his face. “Hey! So, good news. My boss said to take a couple weeks off!” he plopped down on the couch next to Mara. “Really? That’s great!” He casually put his arm around her shoulders. “So, where do you want to go?” Mara looked up at him, confused. “What? What do you mean?” He chuckled. “Well, I have a house in every state, so we can go to any of them! So where do you want to go?” Mara thought for a while, then got an idea. “Oh! I know where we can go. My Grandparents left me their house way out in the country when they passed. I haven’t been able to go in years. It’s beautiful, and it’s on 16 acres, so it’s really peaceful.” Alfred smiled softly. “That sounds amazing, Dudett. I haven’t been able to go out into the country for a long time. It’ll be nice to get out of the city for a change.” He jumped up, struck with an idea. “We can go now!” “Wait, now, now? As in right now?” “Yeah, why not? I have a jet I usually use to get to meetings, but it’s always available for me to use. We can get packed and go now! Why wait?” “Well, for one, I don’t have anything to pack, remember?” He looked down at her attire, she was still wearing his clothes. “Oh, Right. Ok, so shopping first, then we go!” Mara shook her head and laughed. “Ok, shopping first.”

 

Three hours later

 

The two of them sat in his car, on their way to the airport. He had dragged poor Mara through the mall. Mara had to remind him that they had a few weeks, not hours. So he tried to slow down a bit. Once she had gotten a few outfits (consisting of mostly jeans and t-shirts, but she added a few nice outfits, just in case), some shoes, toiletries and a suitcase, Alfred put everything in the suitcase and they were off to the airport.

He knew he needed to settle down, but he was just so excited! He had fully prepared himself for her to leave and move to a different country. He couldn’t believe his luck that he got her as his soulmate. Not that he was in love with her yet or anything…

As Alfred’s eyes were on the road, Mara’s were on him. She had spent three weeks with him, but she had never really stopped to study him. And now that she knew he was her soulmate, she saw him a new light. She knew he was tall, she came up to his chin. He had broad shoulders and strong arms, and from the amount of times he hugged her, she could tell that the rest of him was just a strong as his arms. His brilliant blue eyes were filled with laughter, excitement and whenever they were alone, she noticed a gentle kindness as well. His blond hair was always just a bit disheveled, adding to his charm. But best of all was his smile, it could blind people with its brilliance. But Mara had begun to see a different side to him. It was just a glimpse, but she saw an overwhelming sadness in his eyes and his forced smile when he thought she had seen a different face in the water. When he hugged her before the ritual, it had nearly broken her heart. She could tell he was getting ready to say goodbye. But, perhaps because of the sadness she saw, the smile when she told him she was his soulmate was all the more brilliant.

As she stared at him, a thought crossed her mind. _One day, probably soon, I will fall in love with him and we will spend the rest of our lives together. But only if he loves me back. Will he love me?_ The familiar feelings of insecurity filled her. Maybe he will only ever see her as a friend, a roommate at best. But what really got to her was knowing that if he never falls in love with her, they couldn’t be ‘Bonded’, then she will grow old and die while he will continue on, alone again. Mara forced this train of thought from her mind. She could worry about that later. Right now, her soulmate, bonded or not, was at the wheel driving them to the airport to spend a few weeks out in the country. Who knows, maybe against all odds, he might fall in love with her there. Even with this positive thought, doubt occupied a small corner of her mind.


	7. England Route Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara sees Arthur in the water.  
> He takes her shopping and they find that they are both a bit stubborn when she won't let him buy the things she needs for her. She ends up having to open up a bit and he learns a little about her past.

At first, Mara thought that the ritual wasn’t working. All she could see was the reflection of the man sitting across from her. Her eyes grew wide. The image was facing the wrong direction. She looked up at Arthur, eyes still wide with shock.  “What’s wrong, Love?”

“It’s you.”

“What?”

“It’s you! You’re my soulmate!” Arthur stared back at her blankly, still trying to process the information. “Are you sure?” Mara nodded, becoming exasperated. “Of course I’m sure!” He shook himself from his frozen state and walked over to her. He helped her up and laid a gentle kiss across her knuckles. Mara's face turned a light shade of pink.  _Oh wow…_

He straightened, still holding onto her hand. He smiled wide. “You have no idea how happy you just made me, my dear.” Mara cocked her head in confusion. “Really? But you barely know me.”

“And now I have forever to get to know you.”

“W-well, I guess that’s true.”

“I’ll go call my boss, then we can be on our way. Go ahead and get packed love.” He kissed her hand again, this time releasing it.   “But I don’t have anything to pack.”He furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t have anything of my own.” He turned to glare at Alfred. “She has been here for  _three weeks_  and she doesn’t even have her own  _clothes?”_  Alfred froze. “Uh, well, no, I mean I’ve been busy you know? And I really didn’t think about it…” he trailed off, practically shrinking under Arthur’s glare. “You didn’t  _think_ about it?!” Mara placed her hand on Arthur’s arm. He turned to look at her, his face softening a bit. “Arthur, it's fine. I have only just recently been able to walk around on my own, so I really couldn’t go to the mall anyway. Besides, Alfred has been really good at making sure I rest and get plenty of food.” The anger drained from his face. “If you say so dear. I’ll go make that call now.” He walked off for some privacy. Alfred looked over at her and mouthed “Thank you” She grinned and mouthed “You’re welcome” His smile disappeared. “I’m going to miss you dudett. It’s going to be so quiet without you here.” Mara’s smile grew sad. “I’m going to miss you too Al, but remember, you can call me and I’ll come back to visit. Besides, if you get too lonely, you can always have your brother over.” “Huh?” Mara rolled her eyes. “Your brother, Mathew. Canada? I’m sure he would love it if you wanted to hang out with him.” “Oh yeah, I forgot about him. Yeah, maybe I will call him.” Mara smiled, glad she got the ball rolling on improving the relationship between the brothers. Arthur strolled back into the room and back to Mara. “Well, my dear, my boss was very happy for us and has allowed me to take as much time as needed.”  He took both of her hands in his. “Now love, I know that you will be leaving your home country to come live with me, so is there anywhere you wanted to go? Anyone you wanted to see before we leave?” Mara was touched by his thoughtfulness. “Actually, yes. There is one place I would like to go.” “Perfect! We will get you some clothes and then be on our way.” “Oh,” Mara said in surprise. “So soon?” Arthur suddenly looked uncertain. “Well, yes. Unless you would like to wait.” She shook her head. “No, not at all. Now sounds perfect.” He grinned and held out his hand. “Then shall we be off, my Lady?”  He said in an overly formal manner. Mara giggled, looping her arm with his. “Yes, we shall.” He chuckled and led her out the door.

At the mall, Mara started to become restless. It hadn’t bothered her before, but now that they were out in public, she became acutely aware of the fact that she was wearing clothes that were much too big on her and that the man standing next to her was dressed well and looked, well, amazing. People had been sending them glances and some even started laughing behind their hands. Her previous giddiness faded into overwhelming insecurity.  Arthur had started to sense her nerves and pulled them out of the crowd of people walking. “Are you alright, love?”  She considered giving him her standard ‘I’m Fine.” But forced herself to open up a little. He was her soulmate, she should be able to be honest with him, right? “Well, to be honest, I’m a little nervous.” “About us love?” Mara got a weird thrill when he said ‘us’ as if they were already a couple.  _Well, we kind of are._  “Well, yeah, that too.  But what I mean is that even though I’m only wearing this because I have nothing else, my normal style isn’t too much different, just better fitting. I’m kind of a tomboy when it comes to clothes, with very few exceptions. And I mean, look at you! You are so much more put together than me, you look so refined...” Mara trailed off. Arthur walked them over to a bench and sat down. “And you are worried that I won’t like the way you dress, thus not liking you?” Mara nodded and looked down. He lifted her chin to look at him. “Two things my dear, one, you are my soulmate, it would take a lot more than fashion choices to make me not like you.” He released her chin and caressed her cheek. “Two, if you think I’ve always been like this then you are sorely mistaken.” Mara looked confused. He stroked her cheek with his thumb before he removed his hand.  “I used to be a punk, you know. And a pirate.” He said with a smirk.  _A sexy smirk_. Mara imagined him in both bunk and pirate attire and a small blush worked its way to her face. “I do revisit the old days from time to time.” He brought his face close to her ear as if telling her a secret. “I’m not as refined as you might think, love.” He said in a low voice that sent a small shiver down her spine. Arthur noticed and pulled away, still smirking. He was enjoying his effect on her a little too much. But to be fair, just sitting next to her was doing all kind of things to his poor heart. “But don’t worry darling.” He said, his gentleman side taking over again. “I will always treat you as a gentleman should.  You can be rest assured that I will never take advantage of you” A smirk flashed across his face again. “Unless you ask me to, that is.” Mara, still blushing brightly, took his offered hand.  _I can see myself falling for this man very quickly._

 

Mara’s original plan was to get as little as possible, considering Arthur was paying. Arthur was having none of it, though.

“But Arthur, I don’t really need that much.”

“Mara, love, I insist. You are going to need more than four shirts and two pairs of trousers.”

“No, really, I’m ok.”

“Why won’t you let me do this for you?” Arthur was getting frustrated, and his voice reflected it. Mara looked down and leaned against a rack. Not even 24 hours, and she already managed to annoy her soulmate. Arthur saw the dejected look on her face and immediately regretted getting upset. “Mara?” she kept her eyes on the floor. “Love, what is the matter?” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Come on love, tell me what’s wrong.” Mara glanced up and saw the worry in his eyes. “It’s just that no one had ever bought me anything before.” Arthur looked aghast. “What?”  “Not even my parents. Beyond the basic necessities, and even that stopped once I got a job. After that, I became the sole provider for my family.” Mara looked back down at her feet. “When you buy me things, it feels like I’m using you or something. Like I’m mooching.” Arthur pulled her to his chest, holding her gently. “Oh, love, you aren’t using me at all. I  _want_  to do this for you.  I have accumulated more wealth in my long life than I know what to do with. If it is spent making you happy, then it is money well spent.” Mara buried her face into his chest. Arthur stroked her hair, soothing her. “Let me take care of you, darling.” She hesitated before finally caving in a little. “Ok.” She mumbled into his chest. “I’ll try.” He smiled. “Thank you, love. Now, go and pick out what you want. I’ll be waiting by the counter.”

Mara ended up needing two suitcases to carry all of her new things. She still felt guilty for getting so much, but Arthur kept insisting he was more than happy to get it for her.

On the plane (private freaking jet), they sat side by side on a bench seat. He held her hand in his and was slowly stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He had been silent, the earlier conversation replaying in his mind. Something seemed…off. Like she wasn’t telling him everything. “Mara?” “Yes?” “If you don’t mind me asking, could you tell me more about your parents? It’s just that you sounded so sad earlier.” Mara sighed. She knew she would have to talk about this sooner or later. “I didn’t have much of a childhood. My parents never wanted kids, but then my mother got pregnant with twins. Once we could start doing things for ourselves, our parents left me and Michelle alone most of the day and we were basically ignored. They would barely acknowledge our existence, not even to talk to us. They love to drink and gamble, so most of their time was spent at casinos and bars. Once we turned 16, we were legally allowed to work, so they made us get jobs on our birthday. They finally started paying attention to us once the paychecks started coming in.  But we figured out pretty quick that they were only after our paychecks. A few months after we turned 16, our grandparents died, leaving us their house and property. We started making plans to move there ourselves, we even started trying to save money. But a month later…” Mara had to stop. Arthur had put his arm around her, rubbing her arm to offer comfort. Mara leaned into him, needing the emotional boost she got when he touched her. “A month later, she was out with friends. She got held back and her friends went ahead without her. This guy came up to her with a gun and demanded her money. He was high on something and was jumpy. She reached into her purse to pull out her wallet and he shot her. He got scared and ran off, leaving her to die.” Mara took a shaky breath, trying to suppress her tears. “After she was buried, my parents demanded I get a second job to ‘pick up her slack’.  So I got a second job, still going to high school. Every penny I made went to their bills, alcohol and casino funds. It continued like that even after I graduated, I didn’t have enough to move out.” Arthur’s heart was breaking for her. She had gone through life not knowing any kind of love, no one caring. She had gone through so much. “I’m so sorry. I wish I would have found you sooner. I wish I could have kept you from all of that.” Mara smiled sadly. “It's fine Arthur, you found me eventually.”

Arthur held her close to him, comforting her until all of her intense emotions subsided. She yawned loudly into his shoulder. “Are you getting tired, my dear?”  He chuckled. Mara nodded lazily. She was already half asleep. “Just a bit.” Arthur let go of her and leaned his back on the wall facing her. He held out his arms for her. “Come here, love.” Mara happily settled herself in his arms, her back resting on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and rested his head on of hers. “Go to sleep, darling.” He whispered. “I’ll wake you when we land.” Mara hummed, almost asleep. “Thank you, Artie.” He smiled, the warmth of her body against his drawing him into sleep. “Goodnight love.”


	8. Canada's Route Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this one is so short, I'll make up for it in his chapter 2

 In the water, the image came into focus. The face looking back at her had soft blond hair and violet eyes. “Matthew?” She said, surprised. Arthur smiled. “Congratulations, dear. Matthew will make you very happy, I just know it.” Mara stood and turned to Alfred. He was smiling, but she could tell he was disappointed. “Don’t forget what I said, ok? And I won’t be going far, right?” “You’re right, dudett. Arthur was right, he will treat you right.” He ruffled her hair. “And I know you will make him happy too.” He stepped away, his trademark grin on his face. “Ok, I’ll go call him and tell him the good news!”

Matthew picked up his phone and was surprised to see it was Al.  _He never calls me…_  He answered it with a Hello. “Hey, bro! Guess what?!” All shouted in reply. Matthew winced and held the phone away from his face. “You can break glass with the sound of your voice?” He mumbled. “What was that?” “Nothing, what’s up, Al?” “Iggy did that thing where Mara finds out who her soulmate is and guess what?” Matthew felt himself deflate a bit. She probably got Al. Of course she would get Al and not him. It was a long shot anyway. “Who did she get?” He braced himself for bad news. “She got you! She is your soulmate, bro!” Matthew froze. Did- did he just hear that right? “Bro, you there?” “Yeah. Yeah, wow. Ok.” Al started laughing. “You at a loss for words, bro? Anyway, come get her!  She is all yours!” Mathew acknowledged he would come as soon as possible as hung up. All his. She was all his.

The next day

Mara paced the living room, her suitcase was by the door ready to go. Alfred had taken her shopping for some basics after he got off the phone with his brother. She knew Mathew would be there soon and her nerves and excitement kept her from sitting still. “Dude, calm down! He should be here any minute.” Alfred called out from the couch. “I know! That’s why I’m pacing!” She yelled back. Alfred smiled to himself. She had really come out of her shell. He remembered how awkward she was at first. Barely smiling, never asking for help.  _Well, she still never asks for help. So stubborn…_  Just then, there was a soft knock at the door. Mara jumped and ran to the couch, trying to look like she hadn’t just been freaking out. “Al, go get it! It might be him!” Al chuckled and opened the door.  Mara tried to calm her heart rate, trying to act natural. “Hey bro! Come on in! She is all packed and ready to go. She is REALLY excited.” Al said, leading Mathew to the living room. “Al! Shut up!” Mara was blushing. Mathew walked in, a small blush on his own cheeks when he saw her. “It’s ok Maple, I’m excited too.” “Oh, wait! Iggy said to give this to you before you took off.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper and handed it to Mathew. Mara walked up next to him and read it with him.

 

_Dear Mathew and Mara,_

_Hopefully, Alfred remembers to give this to you. I wanted to say this in person, but I had to go back home._

_I want to remind you both about ‘Bonding’. The first kiss the both of you share after falling in love will bind Mara to you, Mathew, for as long as you shall live. Until then, she will continue to age and get injured as a normal human._

_Congratulations to the both of you. May life bring you many joys, laughter, and love._

_-Arthur Kirkland_

 

Both of them blushed at the thought of kissing each other. They had barely met, but Mara was reminded that she would probably fall in love with him soon. They were soulmates after all.  Mathew cleared his throat and put the paper in his pocket. “Ready to go Maple?” “Yeah, let me go get my stuff.” “No, It’s ok. I’ll get it. I think Al wants to say goodbye.” Mara looked over at Alfred giving her puppy dog eyes. “Oh, Al, don’t be sad! I’ll visit and call, remember?” he nodded and enveloped her into a hug. Mara stiffened but didn’t pull away. “I know, dudett, I’m just going to miss you.” Mara stepped away, still unfamiliar with physical comfort. “Thanks for saving me that day. I don’t want to think of what could have happened if you hadn’t.” He reached to hug her again but caught Mathew’s slight glare. He stepped back and just smiled. “Well, don’t keep him waiting! Call me when you get settled in!” Mara nodded and stood by Mathew. He smiled down at her and held out his arm. She looped her arm through his and smiled. “Let’s go, Maple.” Alfred watched them walk out his door and close it behind them. The silence in his home was defining. He was alone again.

Mathew and Mara walked to the car he had waiting for them outside. “So where are we going?” He smiled and placed her bag in the trunk. “Well, my boss told me to take off as much time as I needed, so we can go wherever you want. I was thinking that we could go on a tour of all the popular spots in Canada.” “That sounds great! But I was wondering, uh, could we make a stop first? There is a place I want to show you and some people I want to introduce you to before we leave the country. Do you think we could take a few days to do that?” He smiled gently, thinking she wanted him to meet her family. “We can take as long as you want, Maple.”


	9. France Route Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara sees Francis' face in the water and Arthur throws a tantrum.  
> Francis is a sweetheart and Mara almost instantly warms up to him.  
> Super fluffy.

In the water, the image that appeared was a man with shoulder-length wavy blond hair, soft blue eyes and a small amount of stubble on his chin. She remembered who he was although he rarely talked to her while he was here. “It’s Francis.” She whispered. Arthur scowled. “You got that  _frog_?” Alfred came up beside Mara. “Woah, dude, careful. That’s her soulmate you know.” Arthur refused to calm down. “But he is just so -” Alfred cut him off. “Let her make her own opinion about him, Iggy,” Alfred said in an uncharacteristically stern voice. Arthur took a deep breath and angrily packed up his things. Before he walked out of the door, he stopped and turned to look at her again. “I will say this about your  _soulmate_ ,” he warned. “Be careful of his hands, that pervert will have them all over you in a  _second_.” At that, he slammed the door behind him. Alfred placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about what Iggy said, dudett. He and Francis have been fighting for centuries. And Francis isn’t so bad, but he  _can_  get a bit… handsy.” His words weren’t helping Mara all that much, she was getting more worried by the second. “But, hey. He  _is_  the ‘country of love’ so he will definitely make you happy. He raised Mathew and even looked after me for a bit, and I turned out great!” Mara nodded, slightly reassured. “Thanks, Al.” “No problem Dudett! I’ll call francy- pants and tell him the good news. Then we can go shopping for your own clothes. Sound good?” Mara smiled. “Sounds great.”

 

Francis was in his Paris apartment, sitting on the couch and relaxing after work with a glass of wine. He had often found himself thinking about that jolie fille (Pretty girl) Alfred had taken in. He was curious who her soulmate was, but has figured that if he hadn’t heard anything by now, she probably wasn’t going to be his. He had felt bad for her the few days he was there, surrounded by all those countries who seemed more intent of flirting than actually helping her get better. Normally, he would have been right there with them, but she was so injured and she looked so scared, that he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So he had stayed back to allow her to rest and give her time to absorb all the new information. He was in the room when Angleterre told her everything. He saw how confused and angry she was at first. He saw that the sudden information had overwhelmed her, and he wanted to go to her and comfort her, but he stayed back knowing that Angleterre wouldn’t let him anywhere near her.  _It iz too bad. I would ‘ave liked to ‘ave a companion in life._  Francis rose from the couch to put his glass in the kitchen when his phone rang. His curiosity peaked when he saw it was Alfred. “Bonjour, Alfred! Iz somezing ze matter?” Not at all, dude! I’ve actually got some good news.” “’as ze black sheep finally admitted zat I am ze superior country?” Alfred laughed, much to Francis’s annoyance. “No, I don’t think that is going to happen, dude. But my news is better than that! Mara found out who her soulmate is!” Francis’s heart skipped. Could he dare to hope? “It’s you, dude! You are her soulmate!” Francis was sure he had heard wrong. He, against all odds, was her soulmate? “I am sorry, what was zat?” “You are Mara’s soulmate!” Alfred shouted. Francis felt joy bloom in his chest. "Zat is wonderful news! I will get zere as soon as I can!” Joy welled up inside him. At long last, he had found his soulmate!

 

Two days later

 

 _Today is the day._  Mara told herself as she paced the room _. Today, I start my life with my soulmate. No biggie, right?_ Mara threw herself on the bed. “Oh, what am I talking about, it’s a  _huge_  deal.” Francis was supposed to be there any minute and Mara had packed hours ago. She was unsuccessfully trying to calm herself down before he arrived. Thoughts swirled in her head, each one adding to her nerves.  _What if he doesn’t like me? He is the country of love, I’ve never even had a boyfriend! What if he decides he wants someone better?_  

Mara’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. “Come in Al.” sure enough, Alfred walked in. “Woah, you ok dudett? You look like a mess.” Mara sat up and glared at him. “Gee, thanks. That’s  _exactly_ what I need right now.” Alfred laughed. “I’m kidding.” He walked over to her and sat next to her. “You looked great.” Mara gave a nervous smile. “Thanks, Al. I just hope  _he_  thinks so too.” He snorted. “Don’t worry, Mara. Francis is going to love you.” “You think so?” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I know so, dudett.”

The doorbell rang, sending Mara’s heart into overdrive. “Oh my god, that’s probably him!” Alfred laughed again.  _He is having way too much fun with this._  “I’ll get it. You get your hair fixed, it looks like a rat’s nest.” Mara threw a pillow at him as he rushed to the door. “Stupid Alfred.” She mumbled. She eyed the mirror.  _Just in case…_  she stood and checked her reflection. Her hair  _was_  a little messy. Mara quickly ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to fix it. She checked over her outfit again. She decided to go a little nicer than her usual worn jeans and band shirts or tank tops, but it was still in her comfort zone. She had on a black lace blouse, dark gray skinny jeans and black suede ankle boots, all topped off with very basic makeup.  _Ok, Mara. You got this. You look fine._  Mara opened the door and walked out of her room to see Alfred standing next to Francis. He had on a light blue (and expensive looking) shirt and black trousers, his hair was falling around his face, lightly dusting his shoulders. His eyes were fixed on her and he was smiling softly.  _Oh shit, he is gorgeous. I look like trash._

 

Francis knocked on the door to Alfred’s apartment. His hand ran through his hair, something he had been doing all day. It was hard for even him to believe, but Francis was actually nervous about meeting a woman. Alfred opened the door with a grin. “Hey, dude! Come on in!” he stepped aside.  Alfred eyed the bouquet in Francis’s hands. “Those for Mara?” “Well, zey are not for  _you_.” Francis said with a laugh. “I’d hope not! Mara should be out soon. She is really nervous.” Francis felt a little relieved to know he wasn’t the only one. He has had many lovers and while he had loved them all to an extent, Mara was his soulmate, his perfect match. When he saw the door to her room open, he quickly hid the flowers behind him and unconsciously held his breath. Once she stepped out, that breath was quickly released. “Elle est belle.. _._ ” (She is beautiful) Everything about her was beautiful. Her clothes were not extravagant nor did they reveal much, but they seemed to fit her to a T. The solid black ensemble gave her an edge, but the black lace softened it.  _Soft yet hard, just like her_. Not to mention they hugged her new curves beautifully. Her hair wasn’t done up either, but hung around her shoulders and swayed slightly with every step. She only wore enough makeup to accentuate, not cover. Just a bit of color on her cheeks and lips, he noticed. His heart began to beat slightly faster as she approached him with a nervous smile on her lips. She stopped a few paces away from him. “Hello, Francis.” Francis closed the gap between them and took her hand in his. “Bonjour, ma chère.” (Hello, my dear) He kissed her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. Mara blushed a little. He straightened and produced a bouquet of red and white roses. “For you, ma chère” Mara’s eyes went wide. “Oh, Francis! They are beautiful!” She looked up at him, smiling. “You didn’t have to do this.” “Oui, Ma chère, I did.” He pulled her into a hug. “As beautiful as ze flowers are, zey are not ‘alf as beautiful as you.” He whispered into her ear. Mara shivered.  _Oh god…_ Francis stepped away from her, a small smirk on his face because he had felt her shiver. “Now zen, ma chère, are you ready to go?” “Yeah, let me just grab my stuff.” Mara turned to see Alfred holding up her suitcase. “I’ve got it, dudett. I’ll carry it down for you.” Francis was surprised to see the small case. “Zat is everything you own?” Alfred chuckled. “Yeah dude, she wouldn’t let me by her hardly anything.” Mara smiled sheepishly. “I’m not used to people buying me things, it’s weird.” “Well, we will just ‘ave to work on that.” He held out his hand for her to take. “Now zen, Mademoiselle Mara, shall we depart?” Mara gave him her hand with a small giggle. “Oui.” Francis laughed and looped her arm with his. “We will ‘ave to work on your French as well, ma chère.”

 

Once her bag was packed in the car, Mara turned to Alfred, who was giving her the puppy dog eyes. “Oh, Al, it’s going to be ok! I’ll call and visit, remember?” He gave her a sad smile “I know dudett. I’m still gonna miss you.” He pulled her into a tight embrace, then quickly let go.  Mara turned back towards her soulmate, who was holding the door open for her. He helped her inside and closed the door. “I wanted to zank you for taking such good care of her.” Alfred looked back at him sternly. “You just make sure you treat her right, ok? If I find out that you broke her heart, I’ll come after you myself. Not only am I trusting you with one of my citizens, I’m trusting you with my friend.” Francis was taken aback and slightly hurt that Alfred didn’t trust him to stay faithful to her, but was able to hide it. “I would never dream of ‘arming her in any way. To do so would be as if I was ‘arming myself.” His words were smooth, but Alfred could hear the sincerity in them. He smiled and pat him on the back. “Well then, best not keep her waiting! Call me when you guys get settled!” Francis waved in response and got into the driver’s seat. “Let us start our journey, mon chère”

 

As he drove them to the airport, he started telling Mara a little about his country. “I cannot wait to show you everyzing, ma chère! ‘ave you ever been to France?” “No, I’ve never left the country. I hear it’s beautiful, though.” Francis smiled proudly. “Oui, zat it is.” Mara shifted in her seat. She hated asking for things. “Hey, Francis? Do you think we could make a stop before we go to France?” “Of course we can! Where would you like to go?” “Well, my grandparents left me their house when they died, but I haven’t been able to go there since. They are buried on the property too.” Mara looked straight ahead, trying not to let him see how upset she was. “I just wanted to say goodbye before we go.” Francis’s heart ached for her, her voice held so much grief. Clearly, she cared for her grandparents very much. He reached out and grabbed her hand, using his thumb to stroke the top of it comfortingly. “Of course we can go.” He repeated. “You take as much time as you need, mon amour.” Mara looked up at him with a small smile. “Thank you, Francis.” He brought her hand to his lips to plant a quick kiss. “Anyzing for you, ma chère.”

 

Once on the plane, Mara found a water pitcher and used it as a vase for her roses. She sat them on the table and sat down across from them. She admired them and smiled. Francis sat down next to her and she turned to him. “They really are beautiful Francis. Thank you.” He smiled. “I am glad zey make you ‘appy.” Francis turned in his seat so he was fully facing her. “So, ma chère. Tell me about yourself.” Mara grew nervous. “Well, uh… I’m not that good at talking about myself.” She chuckled nervously. “What do you want to know?”

“Hmmmm…. Ok, what is your favorite color?”

“Red.”

“Favorite food?”

“I love food in general.”

He chuckled. “Zat is good. ‘ow about music?”

“It depends on my mood, but generally Rock.”

“Do you enjoy art?”

“I like to look at it, but I don’t know much about it.”

“Fashion?”

She snorted. “Stylistically handicapped.”

Francis hadn’t had so much fun talking to a woman in a while. Her answers didn’t matter as much as how she answered him. Most women he talked to tried to impress him by telling him what they thought he wanted to hear, but Mara gave honest answers. As he continued to ask her questions, he started to see how she was his perfect match, despite their differences.

“Ok, what about your family?”

Mara’s smile faded. She had been dreading this question but also had been expecting it. She tried to think of a way to avoid the question but found none. “Well, as you know, my grandparents died. My parents never had any time for me and were usually out of the house.” Mara decided to dilute the story in hopes he would drop it. Francis frowned.  _Never ‘ad any time? What could zey ‘ave been doing that was more important than taking care of zeir daughter?_ Francis opened his mouth to ask more about her parents, but then saw how uncomfortable she was so he decided to move on. “What about siblings?” Mara slumped in the chair. “I-I did. I had a twin sister.” Francis immediately knew what she meant and heard the anguish in her voice. He pulled her into a hug, holding her tight against him. “Ma chère, I am so sorry.” He started stroking her hair. “When did she…” “A few months after our 16th birthday.” Her voice quivered. “She was mugged and the guy ended up shooting her.” Mara took a steadying breath and pulled away. She straightened her spine, pushing back the pain and the grief. “After that, I started to take self-defense classes and picked up some kickboxing.” Francis couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. “Oui I saw ze evidence of zat.” Mara gave a small smile. “I’m surprised I was able to do that much. I was so hungry and tired.” Francis reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek and she looked up at him. “You look healzer already ma chère. Do not worry, I will fill you with marvelous French cuisine and you will be good as new!” Mara’s eyes lit up. “You can cook?” He gave a hearty laugh. “But of course! I  _am_ France!” “Oh, yeah,” she said in embarrassment. “That makes sense.” “Do you cook as well?” She nodded eagerly. “I’m probably nowhere near as good as you, but it's fun.” “I am sure your cooking is amazing ma chère.” Francis was happy that they shared a love of cooking, but he was even happier that he was able to cheer her up.  He understood now that she hadn’t been shown a lot of love growing up, and he was determined to shower her with all of the love and affection he could muster. He never wanted her to have that sadness in her eyes again.

 

Mara never was one for romance. She wasn’t against it, she just didn’t have a lot of experience with it, and so she never understood all of the songs and poems that spoke as if romance was the best thing in the world. Other than a few instances in her teenage years and once when she was 21, she had never really kissed, nor felt the need to.

But when she was with Francis, all of that changed. She loved to be around him. Every time he smiled or laughed she became happy, every time he touched her, her heart pounded. He was so kind and sweet. He was a true gentleman. She remembered Arthur’s reaction when she saw Francis’s face in the water. She giggled.  _What was he talking about? Francis doesn’t seem to be that way at all!_  Frances heard her giggle and smiled. Her laugh was like music to him. “What is so funny, ma chère?” “Oh, I was just thinking of what Arthur told me about you.” Francis ran his hand through his hair. “Oh? What did he say?”  _if zat black sheep said somezing to turn my soulmate against me…_  “He said to be careful around you, that you would try to get ‘handsy” and Alfred called it.” Francis felt his heart sink at her words. He had hoped that she wouldn’t have her opinion of him tainted before she got to know him. “But,” Mara continued. “I was laughing because I don’t think you’re like that at all.” Francis looked at her, hope blossoming in his chest. “You have been nothing but kind and gentle with me.” Mara’s cheeks turned a light of pink. “It’s been really nice. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you so far.” Francis felt relief wash over him, happy beyond words that he hadn’t lost his chance with her. He took his thumb and forefinger and tilted her chin up to look at him. “Mon chère, I am a lover of all things beautiful and I enjoy all forms of love, including physical. ‘Owever, I do not believe love is something that should be forced on anyone.” He smiled softly. “I will always treat you with the respect you deserve. And while I do tend to express my feelings more physically, I will never do anything you do not want.” “I know you wouldn’t Francis. I trust you.” Francis leaned in and kissed her forehead, lingering for a while. His heart was practically singing.  He knew what the other countries said about him, it’s not like they ever tried to hide it. He heard the horrible things they thought about him, and they had known him for centuries. But here was this woman, this beautiful, precious woman, who had spent less than 24 hours with him and was able to see past the stories and look into his heart.  _Oh, Ma amour,_ _Je te chérirai pour toujours (I will cherish you forever)._ He pulled away. Mara looked up at him and smiled. She reached up to tuck his hair behind his ear and was instantly distracted. “Oh my god, your hair is so soft.” Francis laughed. “Zank you mon amour. You like it?” “I love it!” Mara had started twirling the section of hair between her fingers. She realized what she was doing and quickly removed her hand. “Oh, sorry.” He smiled. “I do not mind, ma chère.  You can play with my ‘air as much as you want.” Mara smiled excitedly. “Really?” “Oui.”  He moved so he was laying down with his head in her lap. Mara smiled down at him and proceeded to run her fingers through his unbelievably soft hair. Francis closed his eyes and felt utterly relaxed. “It’s almost not fair how soft your hair is compared to mine.” Francis reached up and took a lock of hair in his fingers. “Au contraire, ma chère. I find your ‘air to be exquisite.” Mara smiled. “Now you’re just being nice.” Francis shook his head. “Non, Ma chère.” He traced her jawline with his fingertip. “I find everything about you to be beautiful.” He brought his hand to her cheek and Mara closed her eyes and leaned into his palm. Francis felt the first stirrings of love in his heart as he gazed upon her peaceful expression. He moved up so his face was in front of hers. Her eyes opened to stare into his. His instincts were telling him to kiss her, to taste those soft looking lips. But he remembered what Arthur had said about ‘Bonding’. So instead he planted lingering kisses on each cheek, the tip of her nose then her forehead. He forced himself to stop before he went any further and rested his forehead on hers. “Was zat much alright, mon amour?” He asked softly, almost a whisper. Mara had almost no experience with things like this, but something drove her to answer with kisses of her own. She hesitantly kissed his cheek, then the other, then his nose, then lingered on his forehead. “It was perfect Francis.” His eyes were closed and he was smiling wistfully. “Oui, zat it was mon amour.” He kissed her cheek one last time, then put his head in her lap again. Mara went back to playing with his hair, feeling both thrilled and at peace.

 

The next few hours were spent with Mara playing with his hair, adding the occasional small braid and laughing. Francis talked about his history and his rivalry with Arthur. Mara told him of the summers she spent with her grandparents. Soon, the both of them felt like they had known each other for years. During a lull in the conversation, Mara began to feel tired. Francis, who was almost asleep himself, felt Mara stop playing with his hair. He opened his eyes to find that she had fallen asleep sitting up. Francis chuckled and sat up, waking Mara up in the process. “Mon amour, why did you not say you were tired?” “Well, you just looked so comfortable that I didn’t want to make you move.” Francis stood and held out a hand to help her up. “Come, mon amour. I know how we can both sleep comfortably.” She took his hand and he led her to a fairly large recliner. He sat down and motioned for her to sit on his lap. Mara hesitated for a moment. The idea of sleeping in his arms made her heart race. “Mon amour, you do not ‘ave to. You can sleep elsewhere if you wish, I just wanted to ‘old you.” Mara shook her head. “No, it’s ok. I trust you.” She said with a smile. She settled into his lap and he reclined the seat back. Francis moved over and Mara settled into his side. His arm was under her head which was resting on his chest and their legs intertwined together. Although Mara was still a little embarrassed, it felt so right to lay there with him, like it was the most natural thing in the world. To Francis, none of the other times he had spent with his former lovers had felt as intimate as this, even if they were fully clothed. He heard her yawn and snuggle into his chest. He kissed the top of her head. “Bonne nuit (Goodnight), mon amour.” Mara reached up and kissed his cheek. “Good night Francis.” Mara drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and loved for the first time in her life.


	10. Italy Romano's Route Chapter 1

As soon as Mara saw the face of her soulmate in the water, she smiled. She recognized Lovino, one of the Italy’s that were so nice to her (and more importantly brought her food). “So I take it you approve?” Mara snapped out of her daydreaming and looked up to see Arthur giving her a small smile, amused by the dopey expression she had when she looked at the water. “My soulmate is Lovino.” Mara stood and turned to Alfred who had been suspiciously quiet. He had a smile, but it was obviously forced. “What’s wrong, Al?” “Well, nothing, really. It’s just that Romano is just so… mean, and so foul-mouthed and rude. I’ve never seen him say anything nice to anyone. You would have been better off with his brother Italy.” Mara furrowed her brows. Friend or not, she did not appreciate Alfred insulting her soulmate. “Alfred Jones! That was uncalled for! He wasn’t any of those things when I met him. He was so nice! And I thought they were  _both_  Italy?” Alfred looked dumbfounded. Mara had never yelled at him before. Mara turned her back on him with a huff to face a grinning Arthur, who had thoroughly enjoyed watching Alfred get yelled at. “While I hate to admit it, Alfred is right. Romano  _does_  have a temper, but I think you can more than hold your own.” With a laugh and a wave, Arthur left the penthouse. Silence filled the space around them. Mara turned back around to see Alfred looking down at the ground, a guilty look on his face.  _Good! He should feel bad about what he said!_  He glanced up and saw her glaring at him. He sighed. “I’m sorry Mara, I shouldn’t have said that about Romano. He is your soulmate and I should let you form your own opinion about him.” Mara softened a bit, but not much. “It’s just that, well I thought I would have more time with you. It’s been really cool having you here! And once you leave… I’ll be alone again.” Mara’s anger left her in a rush. “Oh, Al, I told you. It’s not like we will never see each other again! I’ll call and visit. And if you ever get too lonely, you can always call Mathew.” “Mathew? Who- oh right! I forgot about him…Anyway, I’ll call Romano and tell him the news. Then we can go get you some clothes of your own.” “Deal!”

 

Lovino was laying down peacefully on the couch. He had spent the day with his Fratello. They don’t usually have the opportunity to see each other, so Feli always makes a big deal when they are able to hang out. Not that Lovino really minded. Feliciano kept asking if he had heard anything about the bella ragazza. He hadn’t, which is why Lovino was lying awake instead of taking his siesta. He kept wondering how she was doing. She was in pretty bad shape when he left, malnourished, bruised and scratched up. He wanted to call and check up on her, but that would mean calling that burger bastard. It’s not that he hated him, but he could get  _really annoying. And loud._  He huffed and changed positions in an attempt to get some sleep. Just as he felt his eyes grow heavy, his phone went off. “Che diavolo?” (What the hell?) He grumbled and looked at his phone. When he saw who it was, he cursed again. “Fanculo. Cosa significa questo stronzo vuole?” (Fuck. What does this asshole want?) He accepted the call, but before he could say anything, a loud American voice came through. “Hey, Romano! I’ve got some good news for you!” Lovino scrunched his face in anger and confusion.  _What the hell does he mean, good news? What could this-_ suddenly he got an idea what this could be about. “Hey, dude, you there?” “Yeah, yeah, I’m here. So what’s the News?” “Mara found out who her soulmate is!” Lovino felt a glimmer of hope.  _The only reason he would be calling me about this would be either because it’s me… or it’s Feli._ The hope died.  _It’s probably Feli. Of course, it would be my fratello and not me._  “Ok, burger bastard, who is it?” “Hey, no need for name calling! It’s you, dude! Mara is your soulmate!” “…What.” “Yeah, dude. So come by ASAP!” Alfred severed the connection. Lovino just sat there in shock. It was him. He was the soulmate, not Feli. Him. Lovino. He took several minutes to process this information. His brother entered the room, half naked from his siesta and rubbing his eyes. “Ciao Lovi.” Feliciano’s hands left his face and saw Lovino staring intently at his phone. “Fratello? What’s wrong?” Lovino snapped out of it when he felt Feli put a hand on his shoulder. He stood and turned, a happy smile on his face. “It’s not you, Feli!” Feli took a step backward. Had he snapped? “I-It’s not? Then who is it?” “It’s me!”  Lovino placed both hands on Feli’s shoulders. “It’s me!” Now disturbed by his brother’s sudden change in behavior, Feli began to slowly back away. “A-Are you sick? Is your economy doing poorly again? Have the Mafia been hounding you again?” Lovino shook his head angrily. “No, idiota! America called! Mara, the bella ragazza, is my soulmate!” Now that he understood, Feli threw himself at Lovino and wrapped him in a hug. “Oh fratello! That’s wonderful news! I’m so happy for you!” Lovino briefly returned the hug before stepping away, his scowl back on his face. “Yeah. So could you cover for me for a few days so I can go get her?” Feli was distressed at first at the prospect of having to do double the paperwork, but then he remembered he could ask Germany for help.  “Sure, Lovi, nessun problema!” (No problem) Lovino relaxed, a small smile pulling at his lips. “Grazie, fratello.”

 

Mara was wearing a path into the floor as she paced back and forth, trying to ease the excitement and nerves that were eating away at her. Lovino was running late and called to say he would be there soon. Mara was trying to convince herself not to change. Earlier in the afternoon, Mara had the idea that she should dress up a bit to impress Lovino. She knew that last time he saw her she was all beat up. This time she wanted to get all prettied up to kind of make up for that.  But now she was really considering changing that. She had on a green lace [dress](https://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=234,4195&T1=PD5144+XS) that went to her knees and had a handkerchief hem. She had on black flats because she  _could not_  walk in heels. She didn’t own any jewelry and her hair was down. At first, she thought she looked ok, at least. But then she realized that the sleeveless dress didn’t cover the fading yellow bruises on her arms, neck, and chest.  Mara wanted to crawl into a hoodie and stay there, but Alfred had convinced her to keep the dress on and cover those areas with make-up.

Alfred knocked at the door, pulling Mara from her thoughts. He walked in and smiled when he saw her. “You look great, dudett.” “Are you sure? Because I could change.” Alfred put his hands on her shoulders. “Mara, dude, breathe. You don’t need to change, you look great. If Lovino has any sense, he is going to realize how lucky he is to be your soulmate.” Mara smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Al. I needed that.” He went in for a hug, but changed his mind and stepped back. “I’m gonna miss you, Mara.”  “Me too Al. Come on, don’t make me get emotional, I’m going to ruin this shit on my face.”  Just then, the doorbell rang. Mara felt her heart rate spike. “It’s probably him, I’ll go answer it, and you stay here and calm down. Come out when you are ready.” “Be nice, Alfred!” He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, ok.”

 

Lovino stood glaring at the door, already in a bad mood. He refused to knock or ring the doorbell until he calmed down. He didn’t want the first thing his soulmate saw was him angry. He had every right to be pissed, though. He was supposed to get there hours ago, but he got stopped in customs because they wouldn’t let him take his tomatoes out of the airport in the chance that they could be contaminated. Lovino almost had to be restrained. They let him leave once he calmed down, but without his tomatoes. He had wanted to share them with his bella ragazza, so instead, he went in search of flower shops, only to find that most of them had closed. Finally, he found one that was still open, and luckily, they had the flowers he was looking for.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, then rang the doorbell. He was disappointed to see that Alfred opened the door, he was hoping Mara would answer it. Alfred swung the door open with a forced smile. “Hey, dude! Come on in, Mara is almost ready.” Lovino grumbled thanks and stepped inside. Alfred eyed the flowers. “It that why you are so late?” Lovino bit back a sarcastic reply. “I was held up at customs. They wouldn’t let me bring my tomatoes.” Alfred gave a short laugh. “Well, of course!  You can’t bring food into a different country, haven’t you traveled before?” Lovino scowled. “What’s your problem, stronzo? (Asshole)” “Nothing, alright?  _You_ just better be careful. You have a habit of using foul language and being a jerk and Mara doesn’t need that.” Lovino calmed down, finally understanding why Alfred was being unusually cold to him. “Look, I only get mad at bastardi, not ragazzas and especially not  _my_  bella ragazza. You have nothing to worry about, bastardo.” Alfred frowned at the insult but calmed down as well. “Look, I’m sorry. I just don’t want to see my friend get hurt.” Before Lovino had the chance to reply, he heard a door open. He quickly put the flowers behind him and turned to see Mara walking towards him. He felt his heart skip several beats. “Oh mio dio, la mia ragazza è bellissima.” (Oh my god, my girl is gorgeous.)

 

When Mara caught sight of Lovino, her heart sped up.  _He is so hot…_  He had on a black shirt with the first few buttons undone, tan dress pants and black leather shoes (Italian leather probably). As she got closer, she heard him mutter something in Italian, staring at her with wide eyes. She stopped a couple paces away from him and gave him a small smile. “Hi again Lovino.” He pulled himself out of whatever daze he was in and smiled back. He held out a beautiful bouquet of yellow and red lilies. “Oh, Lovino! They are beautiful!” He smiled wider and stepped forward to give her a kiss on each cheek. When he stepped away, both of them had pink dusting their cheeks. “I’m sorry that I’m so late. I uh, I got held up at the airport.” “It’s fine.” Just seeing him was enough to calm her nerves. She brought the flowers to smell them. “You’re here now, that’s all that matters.” Alfred interrupted their conversation. “Hey, before you two lovebirds take off, Iggy wanted me to pass along a message. Something about ‘Bonding’ and having to fall in love and kiss or whatever.” Lovino turned to scowl at him. He didn’t like that his moment with his ragazza was interrupted. “Yeah, I remember, burger bastard.” “Dude, seriously?” Mara quickly diffused the situation by placing her hand on Lovino’s arm. “How about I go get my things so we can go?” Lovino turned to her and his face softened into an embarrassed smile. “Ok bella.”

Lovino mentally cursed himself for his behavior. He had been trying to keep his temper in check around her. He didn’t want her to see that side of him, but he just  _had_  to go and lose his cool again. Once Mara was out of the room, Lovino glanced at Alfred. “Sorry.” He mumbled. Alfred was taken aback. Surely he had heard wrong! “What was that?” “I said I’m sorry, damn it!” Lovino snapped. Alfred was shocked. He had heard right. He couldn’t remember the last time Lovino apologized for anything. “Look, dude, I know you’re not a bad guy, ok? I just don’t want to see Mara get hurt.”  
 Lovino relaxed a bit. “I got it. Like I said before, I am never like this towards any ragazza, especially not  _my_  bella ragazza.”  Alfred nodded as Mara walked back into the room, suitcase in tow. “All set!” Lovino eyed the small suitcase. “That’s all you have bella?” Alfred laughed. “Yeah, she doesn’t like people buying things for her.” Mara's cheeks were pink. “It’s just weird. I’m used to buying things myself.” Lovino smiled. “Well, you can’t live your life with only a suitcase of belongings, so we are going to have to work on that.”  He grabbed the suitcase from her and held out his other hand for her to grab. Mara hesitated, then reached for his hand. He smiled gently and laced his fingers with hers. “Let’s go, mia bella ragazza.”

The ride to the airport was silent. Neither of them were really good at starting a conversation. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Lovino broke the silence. “You look really pretty in your dress, bella.” Mara looked up and saw he was blushing as much as she was. She looked back at the flowers in her lap. “Oh, thank you.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I was really worried about it, you know. Even before I ended up in New York, I never really dressed up like this. I never had the time.” “You’re not much of a partier, huh?” “No, not really. I’ve never really had any friends to party  _with_. I was usually working.” Lovino’s brows furrowed. “So you’re a workaholic?” He could appreciate a good work ethic, but he also liked to take it easy sometimes, like when he took his siestas. “Technically, yes, but not because I love working. I needed the money, so I was always working.” “For what?” Lovino was getting concerned, was his soulmate mixed up in something? Why would she need money that bad? Mara was fighting an internal battle. Part of her wanted to stay silent about everything.  _It’s my business, not his._  The other part wanted to tell him everything.  _But he is my soulmate. He will know everything sooner or later._  Finally, Mara made a choice.

“I needed it for my parents. I never moved out because every penny I earned went to them. They love to drink and gamble, so my paycheck went to fund their vices.” Mara’s eyes were fixated on the flowers on her lap. She could feel his eyes dart between her and the road, but she didn’t have the courage to look up and meet his gaze. “So it was just you and your parents? You didn’t have anyone that could help?” Mara felt familiar emotions swell up and she tried to push them back down. “I had grandparents, but they died right after I turned 16. “ Mara had every intention of stopping her story right there, but years of suppressing her emotions started to backfire as words kept pouring from her mouth. “My sister Michelle died soon after. We were twins. Our grandparents left us their house and property when they died, but they lived so far away, I couldn’t afford to travel there. And all my parents care about is money, so when Michelle died, I had to get a second job to ‘pick up her slack’.”

Lovino immediately pulled over and turned the car off. Without a word, he pulled her into his lap. Mara froze, she was unsure what to do. She wasn’t used to anyone comforting her. His arms wrapped around her, one hand went to her head to lay it against his shoulder. Mara slowly started to relax in his arms. Once he felt her stiff frame relax, Lovino started to rub circles on her back. Although he and Feliciano weren’t twins, and he was annoying, Lovino didn’t want to think about what it would be like to lose him like Mara had lost Michelle. Between her childhood and being stuck on the streets of New York, no wonder his bella ragazza was so strong. She never had a choice.

The longer Mara stayed in his arms, the more she felt the negative emotions get pushed away and replaced a warmth and a sense of peace. “Thank you.” She said softly into his neck. He rested his head on hers. “Your welcome, Cara. (Dear)” Much to his disappointment, Mara pulled away and sat back in her seat. He started the car and got back on the road. “Hey, Lovino?”  “Si?” “Do you think we could stop by my grandparent’s house before we go to Italy? My family is buried there and I was hoping to say goodbye…” He reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Of course, Cara. It won’t be a problem.”


	11. Italy Veneziano's Route Chapter 1

In the water, Mara saw a familiar smiling face and she grinned. She couldn’t help but feel lucky she got the cheery Italian man as her soulmate. “It’s Feli!” She jumped up in excitement. Both Alfred and Arthur laughed at her antics.  Arthur stood and started to gather his things. “Congratulations dear, I think it will be a wonderful match.” Alfred walked over once Arthur had left. With a sad smile, he pulled her into a quick hug. “I wish I had more time to hang out with you, dudett.” “Al, it’s going to be fine, remember? I’ll call and visit as much as I can! And besides, if you get too lonely, you can always hang out with Mathew.” “Huh? What are you talking about?” Mara rolled her eyes. “Mathew. Canada, you know, your brother?” “OH RIGHT! I remember now. Huh, yeah, I guess I could hang out with him.” Mara shook her head. “How do you always forget him?” Alfred looked embarrassed. “Sorry, I guess he is just kind of forgettable, ya know? Anyway, I’ll call Feliciano and tell him the good news, then if you are up to it, we will finally get you some of your own clothes.” “Yeah, I think I could manage that, as long as we take it easy.”

 Feli was taking his siesta, or rather, he was trying to. He usually fell asleep pretty easily, but today his mind was preoccupied. He couldn’t get the bella ragazza out of his head. She seemed nice once she warmed up to everyone, although she still seemed a little wary of them being nice to her. The thought of what she must have gone throughout there made him sad. She looked so scared at first, and when he left, she was still covered in wounds. But underneath all of that, he could tell she was a real beauty. He had wished that he had ended up her soulmate, that way he could make her all the food of his she seemed to enjoy while he was staying with Alfred. Maybe then he could see her smile. Feli sighed at the thought, a wistful smile of his own on his face. He had called a few times after he left, but Ludwig told him that she might not appreciate him calling her every day. He couldn’t imagine why, though. He was just worried about her. He hadn’t had any update on her in almost two weeks, and worry was slowly consuming him. It had caught the attention of Lovino earlier that afternoon. They had spent the day together, a rare occurrence. Usually, Lovi liked to pretend he didn’t care about him, but even he had questioned him when Feli didn’t finish all of his pasta for lunch. 

Feli glanced at his alarm clock and sighed. He couldn’t take it anymore, he had to know if she was alright. He couldn’t think of a reason why he was so concerned. Sure, he was a generally caring person, but he had never been this worried about someone he barely knew. It was just that the thought of her still being sick or hurt, or worse, not eating anything made his heart clench. He sat up and dialed Alfred’s number. But before he could press send, his phone rang. It was Alfred? Why would he be calling? He said that he would call if something happened to her, does that mean…

With shaking hands, Feli accepted the call. “C-Caio?” “Hey, dude!” “Is she ok?!” Feli blurted out, panic and worry lacing his voice. “Huh? Yeah, she’s fine, why? OH! I told you I would call if something happened! Well, something did, but it’s a good thing.”  _Oh, please let it be what I think, please…_  “What happened?” The few seconds it took for Alfred to respond felt like an eternity. “She found out who her soulmate is, dude!”  _Per favore, lascia che sia io... (_ Please, please let it be me…) “It’s you, dude! You’re her soulmate!” Feli leaped from his bed and shouted in joy.  “SÌ! Sono io! Sono la sua anima gemella! Ho un anima gemella! (YES! It's me! I'm her soulmate! I have a soulmate!)” Alfred laughed. “Yeah, that was kind of her reaction too, only without all of the shouting.” Feli finally stopped jumping. “Really?”  _She is excited to be my soulmate?_  “Yeah, really. So, come on and get her!” Sì! Sì! I’ll be there as soon as I can!” Feli hung up and ran to the room next to his. “Fratello! Fratello! Wake up! I have wonderful news!” Lovino jumped from the bed, falling over in the process.  “Che cosa? quello che è successo? Oh no,

È l'Inghilterra? Nascondimi! (What? What happened? Oh no, is is England? Hide me!)” He untangled himself from the blanket and saw his brother jumping around the room, yelling something incoherently. His face turned from panic to anger. “Hey, Idiota! What are you blabbering about?!” Feli ran over to him. “The bella ragazza, fratello!  She is my soulmate!” Lovino stood rooted to the spot as disappointment flashed across his face. “That’s great and all, but could you stop shouting about it?! Some of us were trying to sleep!” Feli stopped jumping and looked dejected. “Fratello, I thought you would be happy for me…” Lovino sighed and awkwardly patted him on the shoulder. “Complimenti, Ok? Will you stop crying already?” Feli grinned and hugged him. “Grazi fratello!” Lovino turned pink and pushed him off with a muttered curse about annoying little brothers. “All right, all right, just go get her ok?” “Right! I’ll leave right now!” Feli sprinted towards the front door. “HEY! PUT SOME DAMN CLOTHES ON, IDIOTA!”

 Mara sat on the couch, nervously awaiting her soulmate’s arrival and mentally willing her pain away. She overdid it at the mall and now she was paying the price. Well, to be fair, it was entirely Alfred’s fault.  He insisted going into every store, trying to convince her that he was only making sure she had everything she needed, not at all because the bright and shiny displays drew him in. When Yao called to check on her progress, he was infuriated and spent a good hour ranting about ‘immature westerners’ and how he gets ‘no respect these days’. He ordered her to do as little as possible for the next week to make sure her body didn’t shut down again, emphasizing ‘doctor’s orders’. No matter how many times she tried to tell herself that pain was purely mental, mind over matter and everything, the ache in her limbs seemed to mock her every time. She had on a brave face, but inwardly, she was pouting.  _It would be just my luck that on the day I’m supposed to meet my soulmate, I’m all hurt and shit. Instead of walking hand in hand into the sunset, towards our future together, I’ll be limping and cursing. Poor Feli, looks he will have to take care of me for a few days instead of us enjoying our time together…_ Mara slumped in her seat. She knew she was acting childish  _At least my outfit isn’t too bad. Hopefully, that will make up for things a bit._  She had chosen a cute red [sundress](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/216946907019778898) and red shoes with a little bit of a heel. She knew she was going to hate herself for picking heels, but she had gotten so caught up on trying to impress Feli that she forgot how much she  _could not_  walk in heels.  _Please, please don’t let me make a fool of myself._

All too soon, yet not nearly soon enough, there was a knock at the door. Alfred, who had been sulking in the corner over how he caused Mara’s pain, got up and answered it. Mara started to stand, she didn’t want Feli to see how much pain it caused her to do such a simple action.

Before Alfred could even finish opening the door, Feli ran passed him and into the living room. He couldn’t wait for even one more second to see his bella ragazza! He rushed into the living room and almost tripped from stopping so suddenly. “Così bella. (So beautiful)” He said softly. He stared at her with wide eyes as she stood there awkwardly. She didn’t understand what he had said, but no one had ever looked at her like that. “Um, Hi?” That seemed to snap him out of it. He grinned and ran towards her. He wrapped his arms around her once he reached her and he laughed. “Bellissima! La mia bella ragazza! (Very beautiful!  My beautiful girl!)” Mara laughed and hugged him back. “I’m not sure what you are saying, but it’s good to see you Feli.” He chuckled and held her tighter to him. “I am so happy.” He said softly. He finally pulled away and held her hand. “Let’s get going, bella! There is so much I want to show you!” Mara felt a sharp pain shoot up her leg as he started to pull her to the door. She tried to stifle her painful groan, but Feli froze in his tracks. He turned and looked at her worriedly. “Bella? Are you ok?” Mara nodded and tried to blow it off. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She smiled in an attempt to reassure him. Alfred spoke up from the other side of the living room. “No, you’re not dudett.” Feli started to panic. “NO!  I didn’t hurt you did I? I’m so sorry!  I didn’t know! I thought-!” Mara cut him off. “No! No, Feli, it’s not your fault. I uh, I overdid it at the mall yesterday and I’m still a little sore.” Alfred rolled his eyes. “Mara, dude, stop it.” He turned and addressed Feli. “Yao said to her to take it easy for a week, she needs to refrain from anything strenuous so she doesn’t get any permanent damage.” Feli turned back to her with sad eyes. “Bella, why didn’t you say anything?” Mara looked at the ground and shifted uncomfortably. He smiled sweetly and shook his head. “No matter, I’ll just have to carry you!” Mara’s head snapped up in surprise. Carry her? Could he even do that? Don’t get her wrong, She was by no means disappointed by his appearance whatsoever (Really, he looked amazing) But she knew that she had been gaining back her weight and to be honest, he wasn’t exactly Mr. Muscles. “Feli, you don’t have to! I’ll be fine.” He ignored her and picked her up with ease. “Alfred? Could her carry her stuff down for us please?” “Sure dude, no problem.”  _Woah._ Mara stared up at him. He didn’t look like he was straining at all.  _I guess he’s stronger than he looks._

Feli carried Mara to the bright red sports car he had parked outside. He gently set her down and opened the door for her before helping her inside. He kissed her hand before letting go and closing the door. “Grazie, amico mio for looking after my Tesoro.” Alfred smiled and shook his head. “You’re going to be good for her, I think. She needs some happiness in her life. Take care of her dude. Call me when you guys get settled.” Feli grinned and started to get into the driver’s seat. “Addio!” He waved and peeled off.

 Mara was gripping the sides of her seat for dear life as Feli weaved through traffic at breakneck speeds. Feli didn’t seem to notice as he kept chatting away like driving over 100 mph was  _normal_. Mara glanced at him and stifled a small scream.  _He is driving one-handed! What the hell is he thinking?!_  “Bella! Why are you so quiet? Are you ok?” Mara took several breaths before answering as calm a possible, but she couldn’t help the small quiver of fear in her voice. “Y-yeah, totally. But um, c-could you slow down a little?” He took his eyes off of the road to look at her in shock. “What do you mean, slow down?” “Oh my god Feli! Keep your eyes on the road!” Realization hit him and he laughed. “Oh! Why didn’t you say you were scared, bella?” Mara scowled as he continued to laugh.  _Anyone would be scared to get in a car with you. You drive like a maniac._  He saw her scowl and he stifled his laugh into a giggle. “I’m sorry, Cara. I’m not making fun of you, it’s just that you have nothing to be afraid of. I’ve been driving like this for years! Besides, we are already here!” Mara sat up and looked out of the window. “Holy shit. That was fast.” She heard him snickering and couldn’t help but giggle. “Ok, fine. In between all the terror, it  _was_ pretty cool.” He grinned and got out of the car, walking around to open her door. He picked her up in his arms and placed a small kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry for scaring you, bella, and for laughing.” Mara tried to stay mad, but she couldn’t. He was just too cute. “It's fine Feli, just next time warn me when you are going to drive crazy like that.” He looked at her sheepishly. “Uh, Sorry bella, but that’s how I drive all the time.” Mara groaned and hung her head.  _This man is going to be the death of me._

He carried her onto the plane as someone else loaded up her suitcase. He set her down next to him on a long bench seat and held onto her hand. “I can’t wait to show you my home, cara! You are going to love it! It’s beautiful!” Mara looked at him nervously and kept silent. She never was good at asking for things.

“Are you not excited to come home with me bella?” Mara heard the sadness in his voice and looked up to see the disappointment on his face. “It’s not that, Feli!  I really am excited, I’ve always wanted to see Italy. It’s just that, well, I hate to ask you this, I know you are excited to get back home. But I was wondering if we could make a stop first. There is somewhere I want to go before I leave the country.” Feli let out the breath he had been holding. He was so worried that she changed her mind and decided to stay in America, leaving him alone forever. “Of course we can, bella! We can go wherever you want!” He hugged her and nuzzled his face into her neck. “I’m just happy you still want to be with me.” He said softly, more serious than she had seen him be so far. Guilt filled her.  _I must have really scared him._  Mara hugged him back and rubbed his back. “I didn’t mean worry you, Feli. I’m just bad at asking for things. You don’t have to worry, I’m not planning on going anywhere.” He pulled away with a normal smile, not his usual wide, happy grins. This one looked genuine, like what she said made him truly happy. “Thank you, cara.” He cupped her cheek. “I am so lucky to have a soulmate as bella as you.” Mara felt her heart melt. She knew that she was getting a glimpse at the real Feli, not the happy-go-lucky pasta loving airhead that he was around everyone else. This side, she knew, was only meant for her to see.

_I’m the lucky one._


	12. Prussia's route Chapter 1

The image came into focus and Mara laughed as soon as she saw those sharp, mischievous red eyes and smirk.  “It’s Gil!” She had gotten to know him pretty well even though he was one of the first to leave. He and Alfred talked almost every day, so naturally, Mara had also talked to him frequently. If she were honest with herself, her first impression of him wasn’t the best. At first, he seemed to be simply loud and obnoxious. However, one of the first conversations they had over the phone caused her to change her mind. His first question was to see if she was doing ok, which had surprised her enough, but then for the rest of the conversation, he seemed to want to know all about her. She told him only small meaningless things at first, but the more conversations they had, the more she opened up to him without getting too deep into her past. If she ever answered the phone sounding depressed, his first priority seemed to be to make her laugh, which he always succeeded at. She considered herself lucky that she got her friend as a soulmate instead of a stranger. This way there wouldn’t be a lot of awkward ‘getting to know each other’ conversations.

Mara stood and turned to Alfred with a grin. He smiled back. He had figured that it would end up like this. Lately, Gil had been calling strictly to talk to Mara instead of him and then they would be on the phone for hours. He could tell that his friends had feelings for each other (even if they didn’t know it themselves yet), so as a good friend, he should be happy for them. He was happy, really, but he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment knowing that Mara would be leaving. But still, this wasn’t about him, right now this was about her. So he pushed his feelings aside and put on a happy smile. “That’s fantastic, dudett!” Arthur, who had been gathering his things, paused as a thought passed through his mind. “That’s funny. I didn’t think he  _could_  have a soulmate, considering…” He looked up and trailed off. Both Alfred and Mara were looking at him. Well, Alfred was glaring and Mara was looking confused. “Uh, never mind. I wish you the best of luck, my dear.” He made his way to the door. “Lord knows you will need it.” He mumbled under his breath and left the apartment.

Inside the apartment, Mara was still in disbelief over her luck. “I mean, can you believe it, Al? Of all the possible people, I get him! I mean, sure it will be a little awkward at first, but it’s better than getting paired off with a complete stranger.” Alfred just shook his head and laughed. “Ok, I get it, you are excited. How about I call and tell him the news, then we can finally get you your own clothes.” Mara stopped her pacing and looked at him sheepishly. “Uh, actually, I think I’ll call him if that’s ok.” He raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You sure?” She gave a nervous chuckle. “Yes. And no. But yes. I’m sure.” He laughed again and tossed her his phone. “Go ahead. Let me know when you are ready to go.

 

Gilbert was woken from his sleep by his guitar rift ringtone he had set for Alfred. He rolled over and grabbed his phone and saw the time.  _Verdammt. Al really needs to remember the time difference. “_ Ja, Al, you know its 2 am over here right _?”_  Gill mumbled out in between a large yawn. The voice that answered was not one he was expecting. “Yeah, sorry about that. I would normally wait until it was daytime for you, but I needed to talk to you.”  He woke up fully and sat up. “Kleiner Vogel! (Little bird)” “Hey Gil.” He furrowed his eyebrows. She sounded nervous. “Is everything ok Frau? What’s wrong?” He heard her laugh from the other end. “Calm down, Gil. Nothing is wrong. Well, maybe there is, depending on how you react.” Now he was confused  _and_  worried. “Engel (Angel), tell me. What’s wrong?” There was a brief pause from the other end. “Arthur came by today to help me find out who my soulmate is.” Gilbert felt his heart start to race.  _Who could it be? If she called me about it sounding so nervous, it must be someone she didn’t want._ He felt his heart drop to his stomach. _What if it’s Russia?! NO! Fate be damned, I will not allow my kleiner vogel be taken off to stay with Russia! Wait, since when is she MY kleiner vogel?_  “Umm, Gil? You still there?” Gilbert shook himself from his thoughts. “Sorry, I’m here.” He cleared his throat nervously. “So, who did you get?” “Well, funny thing… I uh…” She took a deep breath. “I got you, Gil. We are soulmates.” For a second, time seemed to stand still.  _Me. She got me. Did I hear her right? How… Is this really happening? Am I dreaming?_ “Gil,  _please_  say something.” He was pulled from his thoughts again. “Ja. Ja, I’m here Kleiner vogel.” His emotions hit him all at once. He leaped from the bed and let out a loud Whoop, making Mara laugh. “This is Awesome!” “I take it you’re happy.” “Of course I am! Aren’t you?” Mara laughed. “Well, yeah, I am. I was worried I was going to get some stranger. Instead, I got you. So yeah, I consider myself to be pretty lucky.”  _Why does hearing her say that make me happy?_  “So, what now Gil?” “Now, I come pick you up and bring you here so we can… so we can start our lives together.” Gil felt a weird thrill when he said that. He never expected him to be her soulmate. Honestly, he didn’t think he would be able to have a soulmate since technically he didn’t have a country to personify anymore. But not only did he have a soulmate, he had Mara, the most awesome Frau he has ever met. “Well, I guess I should let you sleep.” “Nein, I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep now Kleiner vogel.” Mara giggled, making Gil smile. He loved the sound of her laugh. “You know, you’re going to have to start teaching me German now. What does that mean anyway?  You call me that more than my real name.” He was glad she couldn’t see his blush. “I’ll, uh, I’ll teach you later. How about you tell me What’s on your mind?” “Nothing much, really. Just thinking about… stuff.” Gil chuckled. “Come on, engel, you can tell me anything.” Mara sighed wistfully. “I know, Gil. That’s one of the things I like…Well, would you look at that!” Mara laughed nervously. “It looks like Al needs his phone back. I’ll see you soon ok?” “Ok. Hey, Mara?” “Yeah?” “I’m glad you’re my soulmate.” Gil grinned, he could practically  _feel_  her blushing through the phone. “Me too, Gil. I’ll see you soon.” She hung up and Gil laid back on his pillows with a large grin.  _Now she really is MY kleiner vogel._ He chuckled. He couldn’t believe his luck.  Just a few minutes ago, he was convinced he didn’t have a soulmate, now he has the most awesome soulmate anyone could ever get. One of the few bonuses of not having a county to personify was that he didn’t have a boss to answer too, so he could spend as much time as he wanted with her.  _Maybe I’ll take her site seeing. Yeah, we could take a trip and I can show her all the awesome places of her new home._ He laid awake, plans and daydreams playing through his head. Eventually, he looked back at the time. It now read 4:30. It was still pretty early, but he needed to talk to someone about this, so he picked up his phone and called Antonio and Francis to share his good news.

 

It was two days after Mara found out that Gil was her soulmate. She could barely keep still, a mixture of excitement and nerves coursing through her. Like everything else in her life, once something potentially good happened, her cynical side reared its ugly head to try and ruin it for her.  _Sure we are good friends, but that doesn’t mean we will fall in love. If anything, all that does is spell disaster. I mean really, how many friends-turned-lovers stories actually have a happy ending? What will probably happen is that once he gets here, he will decide that he just wants to be friends after all. I mean, really. If I can’t even get a normal guy to date me, what are the chances I’ll get someone like Gilbert, the actual personification of Prussia, to fall in love with me?_  Mara shook herself from her thoughts and tried to cheer up.  _We are soulmates for a reason. There is a better chance of everything working out than everything falling apart._ Even that rational thought did little to quell the doubt. All it did was make it silent for a while. Mara looked at the time. Gil said he would get here around 6 pm and now it was 5:30. She looked at herself in the mirror for the hundredth time in the last hour to make sure she looked ok. She originally didn’t plan on getting dressed up, but she couldn’t help wanting to make a good impression. Sure they had talked on the phone a lot, but the reality was that Gil hadn’t seen her for over two weeks and the last time he did, she wasn’t in the best of shape.  She had on a black lace [dress](https://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=234,4623&T1=P97558+IV+1X) and short black [heels](http://www.yaytrend.com/images/570x363/black-sandals-low-heel-dress-shoes-191121.jpg). She pulled her long wavy hair into a half-updo. She was normally a ‘jeans and oversized t-shirt’ kind of girl, but she did enjoy dressing up from time to time, and today was one of those times. The only problem was that her bruises still hadn’t healed fully, so there were faint yellow bruises covering her arms and chest that were still noticeable.  _I could just change into jeans and a hoodie. That would cover everything up._ Mara shook her head at her inner thoughts.  _No, I am not going to greet my soulmate in jeans and a hoodie._ She looked around her room for a possible solution.  _There. I’ll just cover them with makeup. They are light enough that a few dabs of concealer should do the trick._

It took a few minutes, but she managed to cover all of them so they blended seamlessly with the rest of her skin. By the time she finished, it was 5:45.  _Ok, he will be here soon. Deep breath. Nothing left to do but go out there and greet him. Whatever is going to happen will happen. Hiding out in here isn’t going to change anything._ Before she could take a step, Alfred called out to her from the living room. “Mara! Gil’s here!” Mara took a steadying breath and dragged herself and her suitcase to the living room.

 

Gilbert could hardly contain his excitement as he repeatedly rang the doorbell to Alfred’s penthouse while clutching a bouquet of flowers. His awesome pet, Gilbird, was excitedly singing along with the doorbell as he flew around his owner’s head. Gil was finally going to see his kleiner vogel and then he was going to take her home with him.  Well, his new home. He recalled the conversation he had with Ludwig before he left.

_“Bruder, while I am happy that you have found your soulmate, I do have one concern.” Gilbert laughed. He was still too excited to worry about ‘concerns’. “You worry too much Ludwig! Everything is going to be awesome!” Ludwig sighed. “Where will you guys be living? Because I doubt Mara will want to live in the basement of her schwager (brother in law).” Gilbert paused. His kleiner bruder had a point. He hadn’t thought about that. “Well, it’s a good thing I have been working and saving money for the last several decades. Plus I still have some left over from before my nation was dissolved. I should be able to get that transferred into modern money. I have more than enough to buy a house and care for us.” Ludwig looked at him, obviously shocked at Gilbert’s responsibility. “You have been saving money for that long?” Gilbert laughed and slapped his brother’s shoulder. “Of course! What? Did you think I was planning on living in your basement for the rest of my life? I knew I would have to move out eventually, so I started saving just in case.” His brother looked at him skeptically. “Well, you can’t have that much left with how much you go out drinking and partying.” Gilbert grinned mischievously. “Oh, I wasn’t paying for all that! You were!” Ludwig turned red from anger. “WHAT?” “Anyway, I better go! I have a home to buy and a soulmate to see!” Gilbert ran out of the house before Ludwig could start swinging._

He had managed to find a decent sized house with a good amount of land. He hoped his engel liked it. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Alfred opened the door. “Dude! Chill with the bell, you’re going to break it!” He said with a laugh. Gil walked into the foyer and gave his friend a quick bro hug. “It’s good to see you, Al.” They stepped away and Gilbert looked around the room. “Is she here? Where is my awesome kleiner vogel?” Alfred laughed. “Your  _little bird_  is still in her room getting ready.” Gilbert almost blushed from embarrassment. He forgot that his friend spoke German, amongst a handful of other languages. Alfred turned serious for a moment. “Dude, listen. You are my bro and I trust that you will treat her right, but I still have to say this. Be careful with her. I’m not sure what she told you about her past and her family, she hasn’t really told me anything, but even I can tell something happened. You didn’t get to know her in the beginning, she walked around and acted like she was going to get thrown out at any second. She was constantly nervous and always asked why I was bothering to help her. She laughs and jokes around now, which is mostly because of you, I think. But she is still hurting, even if she won’t admit it. At least at first, try to keep your antics to a minimum until she comes out of her shell a bit more.” Gilbert felt conflicting emotions as he listed to Alfred’s speech, concern and sadness over what she must have gone through, and a weird spark of happiness that she had only confided in him and not Alfred. “I understand mein Freund (my friend). I’ll be careful.”  Alfred smiled. “Thanks, man. I think you two will be really happy together.” “It’s going to be  _awesome._ ” Alfred laughed and called out for Mara. “Mara! Gil’s here!”

Mara stepped out of her room and parked her suitcase by one of the couches. She turned the corner and Gilbert’s breath caught in his throat.  _Sie ist wunder_ _schön._ (She is beautiful) Mara smiled at him and walked over. “Hey, Gil.” She stopped a few paces away and nervously played with the hem of her dress. Gilbert snapped out of his daze and closed the gap between them with two large steps. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, spinning her around once before setting her down. The sudden close contact surprised Mara, but unlike when Alfred tried to hug her, she didn’t feel uneasy. She relaxed in his arms and hugged him back. “It’s awesome to see you!” He said after he put her down. His arms were still around her waist as he looked down at her. “I’ve missed you mein kleiner vogel.” Mara giggled. “I still want to know what that means, but I’ve missed you too.” Gilbert stepped back and held out the [flowers](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/08/e2/de/08e2de37bd2eeeee7aaa05ad0789971d.jpg) for her. “I got these for you, frau.” Mara mentally awed. He held out the flowers in front of him and gave a slight bow. Gilbert couldn’t help the bow.  He had thought he had left his knightly mannerisms behind him a long time ago, but for some reason, now that he was standing in front of her, the bow felt like second nature. Mara took them from him and smiled. “Thank you, Gil, these are beautiful!” He straightened and grinned. “I’m glad you like them engel.” “You didn’t have to get me anything, Gil.” He shook his head. “Nein. I wanted to.” Mara felt her cheeks turn pink. He had always been nice to her, always taking care of her as much as he could from the other side of the world. But she hadn’t expected him to be so… sweet. Romantic even. It definitely was a pleasant surprise.  _Does this mean that he is open to a romantic relationship? Why am I so excited by that?_  Gil walked over and grabbed her suitcase and held out his hand for her to grab. “Come on, kleiner vogel. Let’s go.” Mara smiled and placed her hand in his. She paused and turned towards Alfred, who was looking back at her with a sad smile. “Oh, Al, don’t worry! It’s going to be fine. I'll call and we can come and visit, right?” She looked up at Gilbert. He grinned and nodded. “Of course!” Al smiled a little wider. “I know, dudett. I’m still going to miss you.” “I’ll miss you too, Al.” Alfred stared at the both of them for a minute. They really looked good together. “Alright dudes, you better get going. Call me when you guys get settled.”  Gil waved as he led Mara to the door. “Ve will freund.”

Once they got downstairs, Gil loaded Mara’s suitcase into the back of the car he had rented. Unlike his brother and the other countries, he had no need to attend the meetings so he didn’t have access to a car and driver when he traveled. He didn’t really mind, though, he preferred to drive anyway. 

He helped her in the car (where Gilbird settled on her shoulder) then they were on their way.

After a few minutes of silence, Gil reached over and grabbed her hand. “What’s the matter kleiner vogel?” Mara chuckled. “How do you always know?” Gil smiled and squeezed her hand. “Because I am an awesome soulmate.” Mara laughed. “We’ll see about that.” “Don’t change the subject, What is wrong?” Mara’s smile fell and she sighed. “You know how I told you about my grandparents and how they left me their house when they died?” Gilbert began to stroke her hand with his thumb. He remembered when she told him about them, she was close to tears. “I remember engel.” “Well, they are buried on the property along with… with more of my family.” Mara almost told him about her sister. She has been wanting to tell him for a while, but she knew that if she did, she would start crying. And as close as they were, Mara never has been comfortable crying around people. “So I was wondering if we could take a few days and spend some time there. So I can say goodbye.”  Gil wished he could hold her and comfort her, but they were on the highway and there was no place to pull over. So he settled on squeezing her hand again and bringing it up for a quick kiss. “Of course we can go, engel. We can take as much time as you need.” Mara relaxed in her seat. She should have known better than to be nervous about asking him.  

 

They made it to the airport in pretty good time, allowing Gilbert the time to talk to the pilot about the change in plans. He had managed to talk Ludwig into letting him borrow the jet usually used for getting to meetings. It took some convincing, he was still pretty upset about the whole ‘using his money for beer’ thing.

Mara took the time Gilbert was talking to the pilot to think about everything that had happened. She sat down at a booth seat in front of a table.  Everything seemed to be happening so fast and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. On one hand, she was happy that she was soulmates with Gilbert. However. Seeing him again intensified emotions she had never felt before. What used to be a happy twinge in her heart and feeling giggly when he called was now a pounding in her chest and what seemed like a permanent cloud of happiness that was following her around. On the other hand, however, how could she be sure he was feeling the same way? Maybe he only saw her as a friend. But then how could she explain the flowers. Do friends get each other flowers? Mara sighed and laid her head on the table. How was she supposed to know what friends do? She never really had friends before.  _He DID say that he was happy to have me as a soulmate, maybe he does feel the same way._ Her cynical side piped in.  _Maybe he is only happy because he already knows me, so it makes things easier. Not because he has any actual feelings for me._ Mara groaned and banged her head on the table. This whole relationship stuff was so complicated. No wonder she hadn’t bothered with it before. She felt a tap on her shoulder and Mara shouted and sprang up, hitting her legs on the underside of the table. She turned and saw Gilbert practically dying from laughter. “What the fuck Gil?!” “Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you!  But you should have seen your face. Mein Got, that was awesome!” He wheezed out. Mara grumbled and rolled her eyes as she rubbed her legs to try and get rid of the pain. “Ow…” His laughter died down and he sat next to her, still giggling. He saw her rubbing the tops of her thighs and wincing. “Are you ok, kleiner vogel?” “Yeah, I just hit my legs on the table when I jumped up.” Gil frowned and felt a twinge of guilt. “Here, let me see.” He motioned for her to place her legs in his lap. She briefly hesitated before she complied. He pushed her dress up just passed her knees, where a pair of dark red lines were forming. They didn’t look like they were going to bruise, much to his relief. He started to gently massage the area. “I’m sorry, Mara. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.” He looked up at her and she could tell he really did feel bad. Mara smiled. “I know you didn’t. It’s ok, Gil.” “So, are you going to tell me why you were banging your head on the table when I walked in?” Mara winced, but it wasn’t from her legs.  “You saw that?” He nodded and looked down. “I can understand if you are hesitant about this. You are dropping everything and moving to a different country with a man you barely know just because you saw their picture in a bowl of water. I’d understand if you didn’t want to do this.” Mara sat up and cupped his cheek. “Hey, it’s not like that.” He looked back up her and she felt her heart speed up when his ruby eyes landed on her. She got lost in them, her thumb stroking his cheek on its own accord. “It’s not like that at all. Surprisingly, I don’t really have a problem with any of that. I thought I would, but then I saw that it was you in the reflection. I don’t really understand why, but knowing it’s you, makes me…” She tried to find the right word for how she felt. “Relieved? Happy? Well, yeah, those too, but I can’t really describe it. And that’s kind of the problem. I have never even had a boyfriend before, and now I have a soulmate, someone who is my destined partner. I just, I don’t really know what I’m doing, you know?” Gil chuckled. “Is that all you are worried about?” She nodded sadly, a little upset that he just laughed off her worries. He took her hand from his cheek and held it in his hand. “Mara, of course, you don’t know what you’re doing!  No one would, no matter how many relationships they have had. This whole soulmate thing is new to everyone. We are the first to pair off. Wich, of course, is because we are the most awesome!” Mara laughed. “Of course we are!” His laughter died down, but he kept a grin on his face. “Don’t worry mein kleiner vogel. We are going to figure this out together, ok? We are going to be the most awesome couple ever.” Mara smiled gratefully at him. “Thanks, Gil. You always know how to make me feel better.” Mara stared at him for a bit, mentally encouraging herself to hug him. She has very little experience with comfort, and even less with giving it. She slowly scooted up closer to him and hesitantly wrapped her arms around him. The whole time he stayed still as if knowing that any movement would spook her. Once she had relaxed, he wrapped her up in his arms and held her tight to him. His heart was practically singing. He had never felt this way around any other Frau, and he has done way more than just hugging them. But simply holding her in his arms made his heart beat faster than any one night stand. He would never admit it, but he really didn’t know what he was doing either. One night stands he knew, casual hook-ups were the norm for him. But this was new territory for him. This was permanent. If everything went right, this one woman in his arms would be by his side forever. The old him, before he met her would never imagine that would ever be a possibility. He knew he was too much for women to be around for more than a few nights. But after he met her, even before he knew they were soulmates, he felt all of that change. She never seemed to get annoyed with him and he felt his bad habits fade away the longer he knew her. He stopped drinking so much, he stopped going out all the time, and when he did, he made sure he was back in time to call her before it got too late. He even stopped sleeping around.  His friends thought he was ill, but they just didn’t understand. He saw her face in every girl he tried to pick up, she was always on his mind. He told himself it was just because he was worried about her, but he knew it was more than that. He just didn’t want to admit it to himself.

He heard her stifle a yawn and he chuckled. “Go ahead and sleep, mein engel. I’ll wake you when we land.”  Mara murmured thanks before she shut her eyes. She felt safe and happy for the first time in a long time.


	13. Germany's RChapter 1

Mara giggled as the image came into focus. Her heart sped up a little as she took in the slicked back hair, the deep blue eyes and chiseled features of her soulmate. She recalled one of the few times he talked to her while he was here.

 

FLASHBACK

 

_She sat on the couch as everyone was trying to talk to her at once. Mara was trying to be polite and talk to everyone, but they kept talking over each other and bombarding her with questions until she stopped trying to talk. She had never received this much attention and it was uncomfortable, to say the least. Finally, a loud booming voice came from the back of the room. “ENOUGH!” The room instantly quieted and they all turned to an angry looking Ludwig. “You are not even giving her a chance to speak! If you are so intent on getting to know her, then take turns asking her questions and talking to her, and for god’s sake, keep it down! You are all probably giving the poor Frau a headache.” He caught her gaze and she smiled gratefully. “Thank you.” She could have sworn he turned a little pink before grumbling out a reply._

_The rest of them were well behaved after that, much to Mara’s relief and amazement. An albino looking man she recognized as Ludwig’s brother Gilbert spoke up after she got done talking to Antonio. “Wait, so you are only part Mexican? Where else is your family from?” Mara couldn’t really understand why they were all interested in her heritage. What she didn’t know was that some of them thought that if she had ancestors from their countries, it might give them better chances at being her soulmate. Even though there was no proof of that. “Well, while my paternal grandfather’s side is Mexican, my grandmother came here from Sweden.” She noticed a group of tall blonds perked up when she said that. “My mother’s side is German. I’m not sure when they arrived, but I think it was around the early 1900’s.” Ludwig’s eyes snapped to her when she said that. Gilbert laughed. “Did you hear that kleiner Bruder? (Little brother) You have a chance!” Gilbert perked up. “Hey!  Maybe I do too!” Mara interrupted his happy thoughts. “You’re Prussia right?” He nodded proudly. “That’s pretty cool.” Ludwig groaned. “Frau, please don’t encourage him.” “You hear that West?! She thinks I’m COOL!” Gilbert practically shouted in his ear. Ludwig groaned again. Mara giggled and mouthed ‘Sorry’ He gave a small smile and shook his head._

 

It had been one the only time he had talked to her besides introducing himself, but she could tell that it was just because he was a little shy, which was adorable for such a big man. “Hello? Earth to Mara! You there dudett?” Alfred was waving his hand in front of her face in an attempt to get her attention. Apparently, she had been spacing out for a while. “Hm? Oh! Yeah, I’m fine.” She stood and smiled, still giddy that she had gotten who she had been secretly hoping for. “Soooooo? Who did you get?” “Ludwig.”  Alfred paused for a bit, and she almost saw disappointment flash across his face before he smiled again. “He’s a bit serious, but he’s a good guy. Maybe you can loosen him up a bit!” Arthur was heading out of the door when he stopped. “I doubt that, but I wish you luck anyway, dear.”  _Luck? He can’t be that bad, can he?_

 

Ludwig was sleeping soundly when he heard his phone go off. He leaned up on his elbow and glanced at his alarm clock. Who would be calling him at 2 am?! He answered it with a groggy “Ja?” Alfred’s voice blared through the phone as he replied enthusiastically. “Hey, dude! Guess what?!” Ludwig scowled and sat up fully. “Whatever it is, it had better be important! It’s the middle of the night over here!” There was a pause and some shuffling. “Oh, huh. It is. Sorry about that!  Man, time zones are confusing, I can never get them straight. One time I was calling-” Ludwig had had enough. “ALFRED! Why are you calling me?!” “Oh right! I almost forgot! So you remember Mara, right?” Ludwig fell into a brief silence.  _What could this be about? Is she ok? Is she still hurt? Then why would he be calling me about it? Unless…. Could it be?_  “Ja, I remember her. Is everything ok?” Alfred laughed. “Yeah, man!  Everything is great!  She found out who her soulmate is, dude!”  _Could it be? Could it be…me? That would be the only reason why he would be calling me about it. If it were Gilbert, he would just call him directly, he wouldn’t go through me. So that means… Oh mein Gott, das heißt (that means)..._ “Who is it?” Ludwig couldn’t help the slight sound of excitement in his voice. “It’s you, dude!  You are her soulmate!”  _Me?_  He cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his joy. “Ok. Ja ok. Danke (Thank you). I will come and pick her up shortly.” Ludwig severed the connection and sat on the edge of his bed. He would have never had guessed that he would have ended up as her soulmate. Although he would be lying if he said he hadn’t been hoping.   _I have a soulmate... MARA is my soulmate._  He wouldn’t admit it, but he had been worried about her since he left Alfred’s place two and a half weeks ago. He was tempted to call and check up on her, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He never called Alfred normally so if he did, his preference for the frau would be obvious and that would just be one more thing Gilbert would tease him about.

A thought entered his head and he felt himself freeze. He hardly ever bothered with relationships in the past considering that he would outlive them, so that resulted in him have very little experience dealing with women.  _I have no idea what to do. Are their rules or protocol I need to follow? I need to do research.. but who can I ask to help? Kiku? No, he is more awkward than I am. Feli?_  He shuttered.  _No way. I will never go to him for help on anything. He will undoubtedly tell me to bring her pasta or something equally ridiculous. That just leaves... NO. No, I will not go to him for help. He will never let me live it down._  Ludwig desperately weighed his other options. Coming to the same conclusion, he finally admitted defeat.  _This will be embarrassing, but if I am ever going to have a chance to make her happy, I’ll need to do this._  He stood and made his way to his brother’s room in the basement. He knocked on the door.  “Gilbert!” He knocked louder. “Bruder, I need to talk to you!” He heard angry grumbling and shuffling on the other side. The door opened to reveal a disheveled Gilbert. “What is it? Why do you look so serious?” He woke up a little more. “Has something happened?” “Ja, Bruder. Something very important has happened.” Gilbert grew nervous. It’s been a long time since he has seen Ludwig look so grim. What could have happened? “What is it?” “I just got a call from Alfred.” Gilbert felt his heart drop. Did something happen to his friend? “I am Mara’s soulmate.” Gilbert froze. “THAT’S what's got you so worked up?!” He placed both hands on his little brother’s shoulders. “Ludwig, this is wonderful news!” Ludwig nodded. “Ja, that it is.” Gilbert shook his head. “Then why do you look like you just received a death sentence?” Ludwig was silent. This was the part he had been dreading. “I have almost no experience with relationships and I am unsure what to do.” He glared at Gilbert. “Bruder. I... I need your help.” Gilbert’s face broke out into a grin and Ludwig continued. “How do I make a woman happy? Are their rules? Guidelines? I will be leaving to pick her up as soon as I can, so I need all you can teach me as fast as you can.” Gilbert’s grin turned mischevious and his eyes almost sparkled. “You need advice on Frau, kleiner Bruder?” Ludwig knew this was going to happen.  _You’re doing this so you will be able to make Mara happy._ “Ja. I do.” He grumbled. Gilbert flung his arm around his brother’s shoulder and led him into his room. “Kommen sie herein, sie haben noch viel zu lernen.. (Come in, you have much to learn)”

 

It was the day after she had leaned her soulmate’s identity, and Mara was all packed and waiting in her room. Ludwig had said that he would be there at exactly 6 pm, and it was 5:40. Alfred had said the Ludwig was very punctual, so she knew that she only had 20 minutes at most until he got there to finish her mental pep talk. She had considered dressing up for the occasion but decided that functionality was better than fashion. She had a long flight ahead of her and she didn’t want to spend it with a dress and uncomfortable shoes. At the same time, though, she didn't want to look like a slob. So she settled on a pair of black jeans and a comfy and loose, but still nice looking shirt.  _Comfy and decent, perfect._

She glanced at the time.  _15 minutes. Ok. No freaking out. Everything is going to be fine. But what if he doesn’t like me? It wouldn’t be the first time. I’m probably not even his type. I‘m usually no one’s type. I’m not delicate, I’m not normally feminine, I’m awkward, shy, my jokes are stupid, and I‘m usually stronger than the guys._  Mara shook her head to clear out the negative thoughts.  _No! No. I can’t think like that. He is my soulmate for a reason. Besides, he looks like he would be a little shy and awkward too. And from the look of him, I don’t ever have to worry about being stronger.  Hell, compared to him, I’m practically a delicate freaking flower. But none of that matters. He is my soulmate, everything will work out for the best, one way or another._ She heard a knock on her bedroom door. Before she could answer, Alfred walked in with his phone in his hand. As soon as he saw her he grinned. “Hey, dude. You look great.” “You think so? I’m not too sure. I mean, I tried to look ok without getting too uncomfortable, but I could change. I want to make a good first impression.” Alfred just laughed and shook his head. “Look at you, getting all nervous.” A voice came from his phone. “Hey!  Let me see her!” Alfred turned his phone so the screen was facing her. She saw a grinning albino on his screen and she waved. “Hey, Gilbert!” He waved back enthusiastically. “Hey! How is my future sister-in-law?” Mara blushed. “We don’t know that for sure yet.” Under her breath, she added, “He probably won't even like me.” Apparently, they heard her because that earned her two sets of glares. “He better like you,” Alfred grumbled. “Don’t worry frau, my brother is going to love you. But just to give you some advice, don’t let his size fool you, he is really shy, so go easy on him ok? Also, in spite what he may act like, he is actually really happy to have you as his soulmate.” Mara smiled and her blush got worse. “I’ll keep that in mind.” “Speaking of that,” Alfred interrupted. “Ludwig is here, he got here right before I walked in. He‘s waiting in the living room.” Mara jumped up. “AL! Why didn’t you say anything! Don’t you know it’s rude to keep people waiting!” Her heart started going into overdrive as she stood to go meet Ludwig.  _Ok, ok, just relax. It’s going to be fine. He’s my soulmate, so chances are that everything will work out._  She took a steadying breath and followed Alfred to the living room.

Ludwig stood as soon as they entered the room. He saw her and his annoyed expression faded into the faintest smile. “Hallo Mara.“ Gilbert’s voice shouted from Alfred‘s phone again. “Ludwig! Don’t forget the flowers!” Ludwig’s face turned pink from embarrassment and annoyance. “Sei still, du Idiot! (Be quiet, you idiot)” Mara smiled in amusement. “Flowers?” He turned his attention back to her and nodded. He brought out a small bouquet of various brightly colored flowers from behind his back. It was a sweet gesture, but she had a feeling it was more Gilbert’s influence than Ludwig’s idea. She took the flowers with a smile. “These are lovely, thank you, Ludwig.” “Does she like them? Hey, Al, turn me around so I can see! There we go! YES! She is smiling! See, Ludwig? I told you the colorful flowers were an awesome idea!” Loud laughter ensued from the corner of the room where Alfred was. “Can you believe that he was going to get her orchids?” Ludwig’s face had turned from pink to a bright red from anger and embarrassment. Mara, who was getting annoyed herself, decided it was time to leave. She placed a hand on Ludwig’s arm to get his attention. “I’ll grab my suitcase so we can get out of here while they are distracted.” His face started to return to its normal color and he nodded. The two idiots were still giggling in the corner as Mara slipped by them to retrieve her suitcase. Thankfully they were too preoccupied with making jokes to notice Ludwig and Mara slip out of the door. They made their way to the car in an awkward silence. Mara was just awkward in general, but poor Ludwig was still mortified that he got embarrassed by his brother in front of her. He had been hoping to make a good first impression, but now that was all ruined thanks to Gilbert’s antics.

The awkwardness continued the first few minutes of the car ride as they sat side by side in the back. His large frame and the tight quarters of the car made it impossible not to be touching. Finally, Mara summoned up the courage to break the silence. “Orchids are my favorite flower.” She glanced up at him and saw that he was staring at her with a surprised expression. “Really?” Mara nodded and smiled. “Always has been.” He realized the irony of the situation and chuckled. Mara thankfully felt the awkwardness between them leave in a rush. “I’m sorry about my brother, he has a tendency to ‘help’.” Mara shook her head. “It’s fine. Older siblings are supposed to embarrass their little brothers and sisters. How about we start over?” She turned in her seat and held out her hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Ludwig.” He smiled and shook her hand. “It’s good to see you too.” He held onto her hand after the hands shake and stared at her. Mara was too lost in his eyes to notice he hadn’t released her hand yet. They were intense, of course. But Mara could see an underlying kindness that drew her in.

Ludwig found it hard to tear his gaze from her. She wasn’t beautiful by traditional standards, all done up and fashionable, but she was undeniably beautiful. She had a simple elegance and grace about her. Her hair was pulled back into a simple braid to keep it from falling into her face. Like the rest of her outfit, he could tell it was more for a practical purpose than decoration. He was glad that she considered the long flight instead of trying to get all dressed up to impress him. It made it easier for him to relax around her. If she had gotten all dressed up, he would have felt the need to act more formal around her to impress her instead of being able to be himself. The car hit a rather large pothole that jerked him out of his trance. He quickly let go of her hand and put what little distance between them that he could in the small confines of the car. “So,” He cleared his throat. “You have siblings as well?” Mara’s smile faltered. She looked down at her lap and calmed herself before answering. “I uh, I did. I had a sister. We were twins, but she always reminded me that she was tecnically older.” Mara chuckled softly at the memory.  Ludwig knew what she meant by ‘did’ and he wanted to comfort her, but he wasn’t sure how. This situation wasn’t covered in Gilbert’s lesson. Should he hug her? Would that be ok? They didn’t really know each other that well yet, so he wasn’t sure if a hug was acceptable or not yet. He knew he had to do something, she looked so sad. He settled on placing his hand on her shoulder. Mara instinctively leaned into his touch, which surprised her. Alfred had tried to hug her on many occasions, but she always felt uncomfortable with it. She hadn’t been shown much affection in her life and she figured that it was just going to take a while before she got comfortable with it. However as soon as Ludwig touched her, she instantly felt at ease.  Not only that, but she found herself wanting more and she actually wished he would hug her. But she simply placed her hand on his and smiled sadly up at him. “Thanks.” Since they both seemed to be awkward people, Mara knew that one of them would have to initiate physical contact. Unfortunately, right now it seemed she would have to be the one to do it. She took his hand and placed it her other hand and laced their fingers. She nervously looked up at him to gauge his reaction. His face turned a light shade of pink, but he wasn’t pulling away. Mara relaxed in her seat and was grateful that he didn’t mind holding hands with her.

The next few minutes were spent in a comfortable silence. Once she saw the sign for the airport exit, Mara gathered her courage and asked the question that had been on the tip of her tongue for a while. “Um, Ludwig?” He turned to her with a soft expression. “Ja? (yes)”  _Ok, mental note, learn German_. “I was wondering. Do you think we could make a stop before we get to Germany?” Ludwig paused for a second. He really wanted to get back, he had left Gilbert in charge while he was gone and he didn’t even want to think what state everything would be in when he got back, but he had a feeling that Mara wouldn’t be asking unless it was important to her. Besides, his boss had told him that he could talk as long as he needed. In fact, she had been adamant about it. “It shouldn’t be a problem.  Where did you want to go?” “My grandparent's house. They left it to me and Michelle when they died and I haven’t been back since after... since Michelle died. They are all buried on the property. I wanted to spend a few days there to say goodbye.” Ludwig found himself wondering once again if he should hug her. She wasn't crying, but he could hear how much she wanted to in her voice. He pushed aside his own embarrassment and put his arm around her shoulders. “Of course we can go.” Mara leaned into him, grateful for his comforting warmth. “Thank you, Ludwig.”  He gently stroked her back. “Bitte. (You’re welcome.)” Mara giggled. “You are going to have to teach me German, you know.” Mara snuggled closer to him. It was this action that brought their closeness to his attention. He remembered that Gilbert had said that in order to make women happy, you couldn't be afraid to show them affection. And Mara seemed to be enjoying it, so although it made him uncomfortable, he would have to endure it. Although, if he were being honest with himself, he didn’t really mind it all that much... Mara looked up at him once it was obvious he wasn’t going to respond. “Ludwig? Are you ok?” His cheeks were pink and his mouth was set in a straight line as if he was concentrating on something very important. “Ja, I’m ok.” Mara shook her head and backed away. “No, you’re not.” Ludwig found himself disappointed that she was no longer in his arms. “I’m sorry. I’m just not used to such outward displays of affection. Gilbert told me that women tended to enjoy it, so I was trying to do it to make you happy.” Mara cocked her head to the side in confusion. “Gilbert told you?” Then it dawned on her. “You went to your brother for relationship tips.” She giggled, she knew that if Michelle was alive, Mara would do the same thing. Ludwig started getting flustered again when he heard her laughing. This was not going how he had hoped. Mara saw his reaction and put a hand on his arm. “I’m not laughing at you, Ludwig. I think it's sweet you went to your brother for help. I figure you and your brother don’t always get along, so it really says a lot that you would go to him so you could try and make me happy.” He turned to her, less upset, but still embarrassed. “But listen, I’m not your brother’s soulmate, I’m yours. So if we are ever going to make this work, you just have to be yourself, not what your brother thinks I want you to be.”  He looked relieved. “Are you sure you are ok with that? I am told I’m not the most affectionate person.” Mara smiled encouragingly. “Yes, I’m sure. Besides, I’m not used to a lot of affection anyway, so easing into it is probably the best thing.” After a few seconds of silence, Ludwig spoke up again, sounding slightly nervous. “Could I, um, could I hold you again?” Mara grew a little pink in her cheeks, but she nodded happily. He put his arm around her and pulled her into his side, a small, content smile on his face.

 

They arrived at the airport soon after and boarded the plane, which was nicer than Mara had ever seen. It wasn’t huge, but it had enough space to hold a few single chairs, two booth-like seats, and two large recliners.  Mara placed the flowers in a pitcher of water and sat at the table separating the booth seats. Ludwig sat across from her and thus began another stretch of silence. Ludwig desperately wracked his brain for something to talk to her about, but his nerves were jumbling his thoughts too much. It was at this point Ludwig yet again wished he had more experience simply  _talking_  to women. Even with Gilberts, let’s say…overly informative lesson, Ludwig still had no idea what to do. Most of the things Gilbert tried to teach him were things really only useful for casual hook-ups, not for relationships. Ludwig needed to know how to get to know her without it sounding like an interrogation, not the dozen or so pickup lines Gilbert had him memorize.

 

Mara was stealing glances at the large man sitting across from her. She was going to try to strike up a conversation when she saw his annoyed expression. His lips were set in a straight line, almost pulled into a frown, his eyes had a hard, intense gleam to then and his jaw was clenched. Obviously, he was upset about  _something_ , the problem was  _what._   _Or_ who.  _He could be upset about me. I mean, he has been nice enough, but maybe he didn’t really want a soulmate._  Mara slumped in her seat.  _Or maybe he just doesn’t want me. Man, I knew it was too good to be true._

Ludwig jerked his head up to her at her mumbled words. “What was too good to be true?” Mara sat up and looked at him in confusion until she realized she must have said some of her thoughts out loud. Then she looked down in embarrassment. He asked her the same question again. Mara sighed.  _Might as well say it. It seems we were both thinking it._  Mara kept her eyes downcast as she explained. “I meant this, us. I was hoping that we could try to make it work, but it's fine that you don’t want to. I get it. You are the living personification of a great country like Germany, then you get stuck with some random chick because some invisible magic dudes say so. If you just want to drop me back off at Alfred’s and head on home, I’ll understand.” She said the last part almost in a whisper.

Ludwig looked at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. “What makes you think I would want to leave you behind?” “Well, you didn’t look like you were exactly celebrating over there.” She replied with an expression that clearly said  _duh._  “Ahh,” Guilt flashed across his face as he realized what she meant. “You misunderstand, I wasn't annoyed with you.  I was more annoyed with mein bruder for his failure to teach me anything of value. And with myself.” He looked away in embarrassment. “I don’t have much experience with talking to women.” Mara smiled, simply overjoyed that he was still willing to try and make this work. She got up and sat next to him and placed her hand on his arm in an attempt to comfort him. “I think you are doing just fine, Ludwig.” He looked at her with a gentle smile. “You are amazing.” He almost whispered. Mara blushed a little at his compliment and Ludwig realized he said that out loud. “Oh, um, that is, I didn’t mean...” Mara giggled, cutting off the blushing German. “It's fine, Luddy. I think you’re amazing too.”  He blushed a little harder before wrapping a hesitant arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. “Danke.” Mara sighed in content and snuggled closer to him. Now that they had cleared the air, she was confident that everything would be ok. They would figure out how to do this. Together.


	14. Spain's Route Chapter 1

Mara grinned and felt heat rise to her cheeks when she saw the face of her soulmate. His dark hair, smooth tan skin, green eyes and warm smile were all too familiar to her. The personification of Spain had stayed with her and Alfred for almost a week before heading back home. Mara has had Antonio on her mind a lot these last few weeks. It didn’t help that they talked often on the phone. He was always a sweetheart to her since they first spoke.

  _“¡_ _Hola!” He walked up to her and waved. “Your last name is Romero, correct?” Mara nodded and figured where he was going with this. He was Spain and her name was Hispanic. “My dad’s side of the family are Mexican immigrants. My great-grandfather came here with his wife and 5 kids.” Matthias whistled. “That many kids?” Mara gave a small smile. “They had six more once they became citizens.” His eyes grew wide in shock. Mara giggled and shrugged. “Latinos. And Catholic.” She replied as if that explained everything.  Antonio laughed._

 _ **(A/N**_ Just so people don't think I'm making fun of Mexican immigrants/ Catholics, i was directly referencing my family there.) 

“Well, whoever it is, she obviously likes them. I don’t think she has even blinked.” Mara shook herself from her daze and looked up to see Alfred grinning down at her. Mara stood and gave him a mock glare, her small blush still on her face. “So, who did ya get?” “Antonio!” Alfred thought about it for a minute before smiling again. “Ok, yeah, I can see it.” Arthur had finished packing up and stood to leave. “Congratulations, my dear. He will make you very happy.” With a smile and a wave, he left.

“Hey, so I’ll call him and you get ready to go. We have to hit the mall so you can get the stuff you need.” Alfred said as he was walking away to make the call.

 

Antonio and his friends were at his house drinking and hanging out. Francis and Gilbert wanted to go out, but Antonio said he didn’t have the energy for it. In all honesty, Antonio was waiting on a call from a particular chica. He knew Mara usually waited until Alfred got home from work to call him so she could use his phone. He looked at his watch.  _She should be calling in a few minutes._  “Got somewhere to be, Toni?” He looked up to see his friends grinning mischievously at him. “Oui, is it une fille?” Antonio smiled back and nodded. “She should be calling soon.” Francis laughed. “Oh, is she coming here? I would  _love_  to meet her.” Gilbert nodded in agreement. “Ja, can she bring friends?” Antonio knew where this was going. Before he could reply, his phone went off. He grinned and went to a different room so he could hear better. “Mara?” It usually was her, but since it was Alfred’s phone, he had to make sure. “No, dude, It’s Al.” Antonio frowned in disappointment. “Si, mi amigo, what did you need? Is Mara ok?” “Yeah, she’s ok. Actually, better than ok. She found out who her soulmate is.” Antonio’s heart skipped a beat. He had an idea where this was going. At least, he hoped he did. “It’s you, dude.” Antonio let out a shout of joy.  He had grown attached to her these last few weeks and had been hoping for this outcome. “Gracias muchas gracias mi amigo. ¡Estaré allí tan pronto como pueda! (Thank you, thank you so much, my friend. I will be there as soon as I can!)”  Alfred laughed. “Ok, dude. I’ll see you soon then.” Antonio hung up and ran out to tell his friends the news. “So, will the frau be on her way soon?” “No! I will be going to her!” They looked back at him in confusion. “That was Alfred, I am Mara’s soulmate!” They were both shocked into silence for a few seconds. Then they smiled warmly and walked over to congratulate their friend. Antonio could not believe his luck.  He practically kicked out his friends a few minutes later so he could get ready for tomorrow. They grumbled a little, but they understood.  _Soulmate, Mara. I’m on my way!_

The next day

Mara was standing in front of her mirror for the millionth time that day, just to make sure she looked ok. She had chosen a nice, but [simple](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=235,4205&T1=P82518+XS) [outfit](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=236,4210&T1=P88712+XS) she hoped he would like.  _Oh, come on, really? Since when are you back to caring what others think about your appearance? That is what got you in trouble in the first place._ She mentally scolded herself.  _True, but this time it’s just an outfit. Besides, wanting to look good for my soulmate, I repeat SOULMATE, isn’t a bad thing, right?_  Before she could continue arguing with herself like a crazy person, Alfred knocked on her door, coming in once she told him to. He stopped at got a good look at her. She did a twirl for him. “So, what do you think?” He smiled softly, something she hadn’t seen him do before. “You look great. Antonio is going to love you.” “You think so?” “He better,” Alfred replied with a small growl.

Antonio stood at the door to Alfred’s place, waiting for Alfred to answer the door. He was more excited that he had ever felt before. He was about to see his soulmate, the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. And it was  _Mara_. Now everything he had been feeling the past few weeks made sense. He was constantly worried about her, looking forward to her phone calls and calling her his self when he couldn’t wait. He found it difficult to woo the ladies with his friends, it felt…wrong to him for some reason. Now he knew why, he had met his soulmate and everything in him was telling him to go to her, to stay faithful to her, to take care of her. Finally, Alfred opened the door with a smile. “Hey! Good to see you again, come on in!” Antonio walked in with a grateful smile. “¡Hola! Thank you!” He looked around the room. “Where is Mara?” “She will be out in a minute, I told her to wait.” Antonio looked at him in confusion. “Why would you do that?” “I need to talk to you about something. Listen, I know you are a good guy and all, but you need to be careful with Mara. I know you guys talk a lot and she acts like she is ok, but she is still messed up. Do you remember how she was like in the beginning?” Antonio nodded. “Si, she was nervous and she didn’t really trust anyone. Are you saying she is still like that?” Alfred shook his head. “Not really, but she is still a little weary. I’m not sure what happened that made her like this, but you need to take care of her. I know that you have a reputation to get around and be all smooth with the ladies, but that is not what she needs. She is my friend and I just don’t want to see her get hurt.” Antonio smiled in understanding. “You have nothing to worry about, I will do everything I can to make her happy.” Alfred returned to his normal grin. “Mara!” He called out. “You can come out now!” Mara walked into the hallway and made her way to the living room. “Finally! What were you guys talking about anyway?” “Stuff!” Alfred called back. When Mara walked into the living room, Antonio felt his heart skip a beat. “Eres tan Hermosa, querida. (You are so beautiful, my dear)”

When Mara saw Antonio standing there, she felt her breath catch in her throat and the heat rise to her cheeks. He was wearing black pants that slightly hugged his hips and a white dress shirt that was only a little unbuttoned at the top.  He looked amazing, and he was staring at her like she was the only person in the room. When she heard him call her beautiful, she felt her blush get a little worse. “Gracias, te ves muy bien tambièn. (Thank you, you look pretty good also.)” He looked shocked for a second before letting out a loud laugh.  “¡Tu hablas español! ¿Por qué no lo dijiste? Esto hará que sera mucho más fácil.” (You speak Spanish! Why didn’t you say so? This will make things much easier.) Mara took a minute to translate what he had said in her head. “Bueno, no soy fluido. Todavía hay mucho que no entiendo.” (Well, I am not fluent. There is still a lot I don’t understand.) She looked at him apologetically. She had taught herself some Spanish after she found that the foreign language classes they offered at her high school were… lacking, to say the least. She felt a little guilty that she wasn’t fluent once she saw how excited Toño was.

If he was disappointed, he hid it pretty well. He simply laughed and shrugged his shoulders. “No matter, Hermosa (beautiful), English is fine.” He walked closer to her and from behind his back, he brought forth a beautiful, large [bouquet](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.ifloristdelhi.com/flowers/joyful-feelings.html) of red carnations.  “These are for you, Hermosa. Do you like them?” He asked her excitedly. Mara laughed as she took the flowers that were practically shoved in her face. “I love them! They are beautiful!” He grinned proudly. “¡Estupendo! (Great!)” He reached over and grabbed her suitcase. “¡Vamanos! I cannot wait to get back home to show you everything! You are going to love it there, Hermosa!” Mara held on to his arm as he led her out the door, waving goodbye to Alfred as he lead her out the door. “I’m sure I will, mi sol (My sun/sunshine). She had given him the nickname early on due to his constant sunny disposition. She was, however, unaware that it was a name usually reserved for lovers. Not that Antonio was in any hurry to correct her.

The drive to the airport was filled with almost constant chatter from Antonio. Most of it was about Lovino, who Mara remembered to be Southern Italy. After about the 10th story of how Lovino was the cutest when he was a child, Toni finally paused to take a breath. Mara quickly used this opportunity to ask a question she had been meaning to ask. “Hey, Toño?”  “¿Sí, Hermosa?” “I know you are all excited to get back and trust me, I’m excited to see it too, but I was wondering if we could make a stop before we get to Spain?”

He looked a little disappointed but shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, I have nothing going on for a while. Where do you want to go?” Mara relaxed in her seat. She had been worried they wouldn’t be able to go where she wanted. “Well, when my grandparents died, the left me the property in their will and were buried on the property as well. I wanted to visit it before I left the country and say goodbye to them. Do you think we could spend a few days there?” Toño smiled softly and placed his hand on her knee to offer a small amount of comfort. “Por supuesto que podemos ir, querida.” (Of course, we can go, my dear) Mara placed her hand on his and he turned his around hand laced his fingers with hers. “Gracias, mi sol.”

Once on the plane, Mara placed the flowers in a water pitcher and they sat side by side on a booth style seat, still holding hands. Once again, Antonio filled the silence with stories, this time of his home. He spoke of the weather, his tomato fields, his turtles and his bulls, and once again, the infamous Lovi. Mara chuckled to herself as he told another Lovi story. It was clear her soulmate had strong feelings for his old ward, but they seemed to be more of the kind of love once felt for a younger brother, or even a child. Honestly, it was adorable.

The thought of siblings brought a sudden wave of depression over her as she thought of her own sister.  _Michelle. I wonder how you are doing up there? Maybe if she was alive, she would have been involved in this whole mess like me. We are twins after all. That would have been fun, doing all of this together._ Mara laughed softly to herself.  _She would have loved all of this. She always did want adventure, to live one of those paranormal romance books she always read. Hell, this whole thing is right up her alley. More than it was ever up mine._ She slumped a little in her seat.  _She deserves this way more than I do._ “I miss you, Michelle.” Mara unknowingly whispered to herself. Antonio stopped mid-Lovi story and looked at her. “Who is Michelle?” Mara jerked her head up. “Huh? Oh. I didn’t know I said that out loud.” He repeated his question. Mara looked down at the table. She knew that this conversation would have had to happen eventually, but she was hoping for later rather than sooner. “My sister. Michelle was my twin sister.” Antonio cocked his head to the side slightly, not catching the meaning of her words. Mara sighed.  “She died a few months after our 16th birthday.” She didn’t really want to get into the details. She knew that if she did, she wouldn’t have been able to control her emotions, probably start crying on the spot. She had never been comfortable with crying in front of others, no matter how relaxed Antonio made her feel around him. 

Antonio looked at her with a mixture of grief and shock. Whenever they talked on the phone, she always managed to sound content, at the very least. This was the first time in the few weeks he has known her he has heard such grief in her voice. Although her body language hid it well. Her back was straight, her head high (although she was looking away from him) and mouth was set in a straight line. She had removed her hand from his in an obvious attempt to put herself in her own bubble. It was easier that way. But either Antonio didn’t get the hint, or he just didn’t care, because a few seconds later, Antonio pulled her into him, lifting her onto his lap, his arms holding her firmly yet gently and his face next to her ear, whispering soothing reassurances in an attempt to soothe her. He never liked to see anyone upset but to see Mara like that…

It almost felt like a dagger to his heart.

 

While she knew the Spaniard was affectionate by nature, the sudden embrace startled her none the less. Once she realized that he was doing this to help her feel better, it became all the more difficult to hold back tears. She wracked her brain to remember the last time anyone held her like this (or at all, really) and came up short. While it was true that they had developed a sort of relationship by talking over the phone, this was beyond casual flirting she received from him the last few weeks. This was… caring, gentle, tender and warm.  _Almost…loving?_  Mara mentally shook her head at herself.  _No, no way. Not yet, right? This must be just how he is to people. Is this normal behavior between friends? Hell, how would I know?_ Mara relaxed in his arms and simply enjoyed the feelings their proximity brought her.  _No matter. For now, I can just enjoy this for what this is. Comfort._

“Mi cariña,” (my dear/darling) He whispered. “Siento tanto que tuviste que perder a tu hermana.” (I am so sorry you had to lose your sister.) Mara took a deep breath to calm herself before she answered. “Gracias, Toño.” She whispered back, surprising herself with a small smile.  _How does he do it?_

 He slightly pulled away to make sure she had calmed down. “So, cariña. Tell me about your sister. I want to know everything.” Mara looked at him in shock. “Y-you do? Why?” he smiled gently. “She was a big part of your life, sì?” Mara nodded. “Of course.” He placed a warm hand on her cheek. “I want to know everything about you, Hermosa. What you like, what you hate, what makes you laugh, makes you sad, everything.” Mara practically melted.  _At this rate, I’ll be falling for him faster than I thought I would._

Over the next few hours, Mara told him everything she could remember about her sister, every laugh, every argument and every tear shed together. This obviously led to telling him about her parents. When he heard how she grew up, he silently vowed to make sure she never spent another day feeling like no one cared or that she was alone.

Once every story was told, and every soothing word was said, they fell asleep together. Mara was nestled in his lap with her head resting on his shoulder. His arms were wound around her and his head resting on top of hers. A smile graces both of their faces as they spent their first night together with their beloved soulmate.


	15. China's Route Chapter 1

In the water, Mara saw a very familiar figure with a stern expression, kind eyes, and long hair.  _It’s mamma bear!_ She couldn’t help but let out a small giggle at the nickname she had grown accustomed calling him in her head. Without looking up from the water, she announced the name of her soulmate to the two men in the room. “I got Yao.” The small grin she had on her face faded a bit as the words began to sink in.  _Holy shit, I got Yao. I am going to be spending forever with YAO._ She quickly looked away from his image so she could try and get rid of the blush she felt was forming on her cheeks. She felt a heavy hand slap her back and heard a loud laugh. She looked up to seed Alfred with his head thrown back with laughter. “What’s so funny?” She questioned, an edge of annoyance laced her words. “Dude, you got the old man!” He let out another peal of laughter before continuing. “Dude,” More giggles. “Dude looks like a lady!” As Alfred continued to gasp out one-liners in between giggles, Mara looked over at Arthur with an exasperated look. He shook his head in sympathy as he continued to pack up his things. “How have you managed three weeks with this idiot?” He asked. Mara’s face softened to a small smile. “Yeah, well, he may be an idiot, but he tries and means well.” “Hey, HEY, DUDE! You got stuck with Grandma!” Alfred yelled out. Mara scowled. “Most of the time, he means well anyway.” Arthur patted her shoulder in sympathy and made his way out of the door.  She turned back to Alfred, who was now in the fetal position on the floor, laughter still pouring from him with no end in sight. Mara rolled her eyes and grabbed his phone from the side table and called Yao herself since obviously, Alfred wasn’t going to be stopping anytime soon.

 

The sun was beginning to rise over the house where Yao was living for the time being. Like many of his fellow countries, he had houses scattered across his land. This one was one of his favorites, though. It was away from the city and secluded. Yao was greeting the first of the sun’s rays in his garden as he gracefully moved his limbs through the familiar Tai Chi moves he practiced every morning. No matter how hectic and stressed his days became and no matter how late he had stayed up signing and stamping and reviewing a seemingly endless supply of paperwork, he always made sure to make time for this. He cleared his mind and tried to let the sounds of nature fill him and calm him. It wasn’t always easy to clear and calm his mind these days though. He found that as the years past, the more cluttered his mind became, thus making it harder to find that blissful inner peace that was so easy to stay in when he was younger. Just as he was beginning to finally quiet his mind, his phone rang out harshly, shattering the silence around him. Normally, he would never take his phone outside with him in the mornings, however, ever since he returned from America’s after helping that poor girl weeks ago, he had kept the device practically glued to him in case anything happened to her. Annoyed by the interruption, Yao didn’t bother looking at the screen to see who was calling before he answered it. “Shì de, nǐ xiǎng yào shénme? (Yes, what do you want?)”  There was a pause on the other end before a cautious voice replied. “Uh, I’m not too sure what you said, but you sound pretty upset, so… Sorry?” Yao silently cursed himself. Of course, it would be her. She had a habit of calling him when she got bored of sitting in Alfred’s place all by herself since apparently, he was one of the few countries she had met that had bothered to call and check up on her. Her calls were usually early in the morning for him because of the time difference. “Sorry about that, Mara. I did not realize it was you calling, aru. How are you feeling today? You should almost be healed up by now.” Mara relaxed once she knew that his anger wasn’t directed at her. “I’m feeling fine today. There are still some bruises that haven’t faded yet and I still get tired pretty easily, but I’m doing much better than when you last saw me.” Yao couldn’t help but smile. She sounded better, he could tell from her voice. It was calmer and he could tell she was more comfortable in her surroundings. The first week she acted as if everyone was going to turn on her at any second. She was quick to apologize and slow to ask for help. “That is good, aru! I should be able to make a tip to check your progress myself in a week or so, just to make sure.” Mara let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, well that leads to what I was calling to talk to you about. I, uh, I have some news.” Yao frowned when he heard her tone change from relaxed to uptight. “What has happened? Is everything alright?” More nervous chuckling. “Well, that depends on how you react. Arthur came by today and he helped me figure out who my soulmate is.” The last part was rushed as if she had to say it before she lost her nerve. Yao started to see where she was going with this, but couldn’t tell if it was logic or simply wishful thinking. Before the whole fiasco with Arthur’s emergency meeting, he never gave relationships much thought. He had taken lovers and had been in small, short relationships in his younger years, but had given up on them decades ago. Or maybe a century? He didn’t really know anymore. Time kind of blends in and gets fuzzy when you have lived for over four thousand years. But once Arthur had shared the knowledge of their soulmates existence, renewed hope started to take place in his heart. Just the simple idea of having someone by his side, someone who he could share his long life with… the feeling was indescribable. And, if he were honest with himself, he had taken a small liking to Mara. If his suspicions were correct, then he could see himself being happy with his chosen partner.

Yao cleared his throat before responding. “Did he? Well, who did you get?” He could hear her take a deep breath before she answered. He had to suppress a small giggle over how nervous she was, it was too cute. But he wouldn’t let himself giggle. No, four thousand-year-old countries didn’t giggle. No matter how adorable she was being. “I got you, Yao. We are soulmates.” Yao immediately let out a sigh of relief.  _I was right! We are soulmates!_  Then the implications hit him.  _I have a soulmate. Mara is the person I will be spending eternity with. That is if she will choose to bind her life to mine.  We are soulmates so she might, but who would willingly choose this life? Most would think it a gift, but most of the time it is a curse. Immortality is a lonely existence, as I can more than testify._

 _However,_ a smaller, more optimistic inner voice spoke up.  _We wouldn’t be alone. I would have her and she would have me._ Another smile rose to his lips.  _Maybe this could work…_

“Yao? This whole silence thing is worrying me. I know this might not be the most ideal situation, but I am willing to give it a try if you are…” She trailed off, her voice heavily laced with uncertainty. He shook himself from his thoughts to ease her mind. “I want to try as well, aru. I am sorry for my silence, I was lost in thought. Do not worry, aru. I will be on my way to you as soon as I can leave.” He heard her exhale in relief. “Ok, good. That’s good. You had me worried for a second! I guess I’ll see you soon then?” “Yes, soon.” “Ok, Bye then.” “Zàijiàn (goodbye)”

 

Three days later

 

[Mara](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=221014508) was furiously searching her room again for anything she might have missed.  _I know I grabbed everything, so why does it feel like I’ll be leaving something behind when I leave with Yao?_ She sighed in frustration and returned to her opened suitcase.  _I’ll just make one more check, just to make sure._  “Damn it, what am I forgetting?”

 

 

Yao smiled politely at Alfred when he opened the door for him. Although he didn’t outright hate the man, Yao did find him annoying and rarely got along with him. “Hey, old man! Good to see you again!” Yao held back his usual lecture about respecting elders. He was here for a reason. He would be able to leave soon and head back home, only this time with Mara. “Is Mara ready, aru?” Alfred shrugged. “I don’t know. She had been in her room for a while though. You remember where it is right?” Yao nodded and headed off to the hallway towards Mara’s room.

He heard her rummaging around and muttered curses when he approached the slightly opened door. He silently peeked inside and held back a laugh. She was full-on pouting in frustration as she dug through her suitcase. “Goddamn it! Why does it feel like I’m forgetting something?” Mara folded her arms and sat angrily on the bed, slightly resembling an upset toddler. Yao couldn’t help let a few chuckles escape. She was just being just too cute.

Mara jerked her head up at the sound of chuckling to see Yao leaning up against the door frame. He had on a red silk mandarin jacket and white pants, his hair was tied back in a low ponytail that was draped over his shoulder and he had an amused smile as he looked at her. She felt her heart start to pound a little faster as she looked at him. She had forgotten just how handsome he was. “You  _are_  forgetting something.” He told her as he straightened and made his way to her. “I am?” She said, still distracted by the man in front of her. She shook herself out of the daze she was in. “I knew it! What is it?” He stopped a few paces away from her. “You are forgetting to relax, aru.” His tone suggested he was scolding her, but she couldn’t help but notice the smile playing on his lips.  Mara smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, I Kinda have been freaking out a little.” He raised an eyebrow. “A little?” She giggled. “Ok, a lot. I just can’t help it! It feels like I’m forgetting something.” Yao smiled reassuringly. “Well, whatever it is, I’m sure we can get it once we get home.” Mara felt the world pause for a minute.  _Home. My new home. With Yao._ Resisting the urge to squeal in happiness took a surprising amount of self-control. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She turned to zip up her suitcase and set the wheels down on the floor. “OK!” she turned back to Yao. “Let’s get going!”

 

It wasn’t until she had to say goodbye to Alfred that she realized what she was leaving behind. “I’m gonna miss you, dudett.” He said with a sad smile. Mara gave what she hoped was a comforting smile in return. “I know, I’ll miss you too. But remember what I said, Ok? It’s not like I’ll be disappearing forever. I’ll call and visit when I can, ok? Plus, if you get too lonely, you can always hang out with Mattie.”  He cocked his head in confusion. Mara sighed and rolled her eyes. “Mattie. Your brother.” Still no recognition. “CANADA!” “Oh…. Right. Yeah, I guess it has been a while huh?” With a sad shake of her head, Mara and Yao left the apartment to start their journey together.

 

The drive to the airport was filled with conversation easily flowing between them. Yao had always found it easy to talk to her. Not only was she able to both listen and provide commentary when appropriate, she was also able to make him laugh. He was a naturally good natured person so it wasn’t like he never laughed. But when Mara made a joke (which were normally sarcastic comments) or did something he found cute, his laugh changed from a small chuckle to a deep laugh, the kinds that made his sides hurt. In the short amount of time he had known her, she had endeared herself to him. He had to admit to himself, he had a small crush on her already.

 

As the exit for the airport came into view, Mara steeled herself to ask a question she had been nervous to ask. “Yao?” He heard the nerves in her voice and grew slightly concerned. “What is it, aru?” “I know that you said you were looking forward to getting back soon, but I was wondering if we could make a stop first.” Yao paused. He really did need to get back. Being the personification of a country with a population of 1.3 billion people kept him with a constant supply of work that needed to be done.  _However, I doubt she would ask unless it was important. And she is about to leave her home country and move halfway around the work to live with me._ “What kind of stop.” Mara was relieved he didn’t reject the idea immediately. “Well, when my grandparents died, they left me their house and were buried on the property. I was wondering if we could stay there for a few days so I can say goodbye. “Of course we can.” He replied immediately.  _That is a more than valid reason to delay my return._  Mara looked over at him in shock. “Really?” he nodded and smiled. “I will need to talk to my boss first, but it shouldn’t be a problem.” By then they had arrived at the airport and had parked. As soon as they hand both gotten out of the car, Mara rushed over and did something completely against her nature. She hugged him. Yao was shocked at first. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” He relaxed and wrapped his arms around her. Yao was barely shorter than her, not even a full inch, so Mara laid her head on his shoulder and held onto him. He couldn’t know just how much going to her grandparent house meant to her.  They let go of each other a few minutes later with embarrassed smiles.

After a long call to his boss, Yao returned to Mara, who had already boarded the jet and was sitting at the table. He sat down across from her with a smile. “We have a little over a week.” Mara grinned in reply.  _A week with Yao in a secluded country house._ Mara felt a small blush rise to her cheeks.  _This will be interesting._


	16. Greece's Route Chapter 1

The face Mara saw in the water was familiar, but she didn’t have much contact with the man, despite the fact he had stayed for 4 days. “Um, I can’t remember his name. Who was the guy with the cats and sleeps a lot?" “Ah, you must mean Greece, or Heracles, as he probably introduced himself,” Arthur answered. Mara looked back at the image. “Heracles, huh?” She had to admit, he was pretty good looking. He had a strong looking face with olive skin and dark green eyes peeking out from behind half-closed eyelids. The image started to fade and Mara looked up to see Alfred looking thoughtful. “So what can you tell me about him?” Mara hoped he could tell her something useful. She had also hoped before the ritual that she would get one of the countries she was more acquainted with so it wouldn’t be as awkward.  

Alfred thought for a few moments before answering her. “Well, there really isn’t much to say other than he like naps and cats. I hear he likes to dig up the ruins in his country but other than that, I think that’s all there is to him. Oh, wait!” He half shouted as he remembered something. “There was that survey we took a few years ago and it turns out he has the high-UMF!” The rest of his words were mumbled, Arthur had rushed over once he realized once Alfred was going to say and quickly silenced him. “Quiet, you idiot! She doesn’t need to know that just yet!”  Alfred shoved him off. “What? I was just going to tell her that they have a large stray cat population!” he cocked his head in confusion. “What were you thinking about?” Arthur’s face grew bright red and he quickly gathered his things and half sprinted out the door. Mara stared at the closed door. “What the hell was that about?” Alfred just shook his head. “I have no idea, bro.” Mara looked at him with raised brows. “Bro?” He laughed. “Or sis, I guess.” Mara felt a strange mix of warmth and pain at her new title.  _No one has called me that since…No, I can’t think about that now._  Mara shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Well, now what?” “Now,” He began as he dug his phone from his pocket. “I’ll have to call Japan to get Greece’s number. I’ve never had to call him much before, so I don’t have it saved.” He started to walk off to his room. “I’ll be right back, bro- I mean sis!”

 

Japan answered the phone with a mild sense of surprise. “Kon'nichiwa (Hello) Alfred-san. Have you finished the video game I lent you?” “Hey, Dude! Yeah, just about. Do you have another one I can borrow?” “Hai, this time it is a horror game. Would that be ok?” “Oh, really? O-of course that should be ok! Nothing can scare me!” Kiku felt his lips twitch in a small smile. Despite the confident words, Alfred’s reply sounded a little shaky. “I also have an action game with a heroic main character who has superpowers. Would that be more acceptable Alfred-san?” “SUPER HEROS?! Hell yeah, man!  That is totally my thing!” This time Kiku had to stifle a small chuckle. “Then I will send it over soon. Is that all you needed to talk about?” “OH! I almost forgot! I didn’t call about video games, I actually had something more important to ask you.” Now Kiku was confused. He didn’t think anything was more important to the American man than video games. Well, maybe food. “What seems to be the problem Alfred-san?” “Can you give me Greece’s number? I need to call him but I never saved his number on my phone.” Concern filled him. What business could he have with his friend?  _Could Heracles-san owe money to America as well? I don’t think so._  Although he was wary of giving out his friend’s phone number, if it was for work, it really couldn’t be avoided. “Of course, Alfred-san. Excuse me for being rude but may I ask what you need his number for?” He would never ask such a question normally, but Heracles was his friend and he wanted to make sure his friend wasn’t in trouble. “Don’t worry, dude, it’s nothing bad! It’s actually good news!” Relief flooded him, although his voice never showed it. “That is good then. I will send over his number now.” “Thanks, Dude! Talk to you later!” “Sayōnara (goodbye) Alfred-san”

 

Thirty minutes later, Kiku received another call from Alfred. “Dude, are you sure you gave me the right number? Because I’ve been calling it a bunch of times and no one is answering.” Kiku sighed. It figured that his friend wouldn’t have picked up. “I am sure I gave you the correct number, Alfred-san. Perhaps if I call him I would have better luck. Would you like me to try and pass along the message?” “Sure, man, if you think it’ll work. If he picks up, tell him that Mara, you know, the woman who is one of our soulmates? Well, she found out who her soulmate is. It’s him. Tell him that he can come by to get her whenever.” Kiku sat in silence as he processed the information. So Heracles is Mara’s soulmate? Out of habit, he started to compare their qualities and characteristics to see if they would make a good couple. “Kiku, buddy, you there?” Kiku quickly uttered an apology and promised to pass along the message.

 

Heracles was sprawled out on his bed, one arm under his head, the other resting on one of the many cats that had chosen to sleep in his bed for the night. The other cats were either perched on or snuggled in and around his legs, torso, and head. Although his phone was laying close by on the nightstand next to him and was set to max volume, neither he or the cats had stirred when his phone had repeatedly gone off. However, once his phone started emitting soft meowing sounds, he stirred and opened his eyes. He knew he could sleep like the dead, so he made sure to set a cat ringtone for the contacts he would bother waking up for, knowing that only the sounds of cats could wake him. He reached over for his phone and noticed two things. One, it was Kiku calling him. Two, it was one am. He had half a mind to ignore the call and go back to sleep, best friend or not. But then he realized that his ever considerate friend would never have called him this late if it wasn’t of the utmost importance. With a groan, he answered the call and laid back down on his pillows, careful not to disturb the still sleeping cats.  “Χαίρετε? (Hello?)”  He said groggily. “Kon'nichiwa, Heracles-san. I am sorry to call and wake you at such an hour, however, I have something important to pass along from America-san.” He tried to push away the cobwebs in his mind and process what his friend was saying, but the siren call of sleep was just too sweet. His eyes began to drift closed before he knew it. “Heracles-san.” The stern, almost accusing tone roused him awake again. “This is important so do not go back to sleep.” Heracles groaned and sat up. “Fine, I’m awake. Why did America get you to tell me? Why didn’t he tell me himself?” Kiku sighed. “He tried, but you didn’t pick up.” Heracles looked at his phone screen again and saw a notification for 18 missed calls from the same number. “Oh.” Was all he said. “What is the message?” “Do you remember Mara-san? The woman Alfred-san took in?” “The one who is supposed to be one of our soulmates?” “Hai. She was able to find out who her soulmate is and Alfred-san says that it is you.” Now Heracles was wide awake.  _Me? Her soulmate?_ He had honestly not even considered the possibility. He figured that there was such a small possibility of it happening, that it wasn’t worth getting worked up over it. But now, images of them together passed through his head.  _We could take naps together. I could show her the things Mother left behind. I wonder if she likes cats. If she is my soulmate, then she has to. Now that I think about it, she was rather pretty._ “Heracles-san, you know you are thinking out loud, don’t you?” It was a good thing Heracles couldn’t see Kiku’s face. Although it remained impassive, there was a certain gleam in his eyes.  _I ship it._  He couldn’t help but think this.

Heracles hadn’t realized he had been speaking. “Sorry, Kiku. Did he say when I could go and get her?” “Hai, he said you could go whenever you wanted.” “Ok, thanks for the message.” “You are welcome. And Heracles-san?” “Yeah?” “Congratulations. I am sure you both will be very happy together.” Heracles smiled softly. “Thank you, Kiku. I’m sure we will too.”

 

Three days later, Mara sat calmly on the couch, awaiting Heracles’s arrival. Well, she was calm on the outside at least. Internally, she was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. She had a bad habit of coming up with worst-case scenarios whenever something new or different was happening, or if she was out of her comfort zone. Unfortunately, waiting for your soulmate to arrive, who was also a living personification of an entire fricking country was new, different, and  _way_  outside of her comfort zone.  

 _What if I don’t like him? What if he doesn’t like_ me _? What if he is crazy? Al said he was pretty normal besides his love for cats. Cats are nice. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have ever been around a cat. Oh god, what if I’m allergic?! Wouldn’t that be some shit, I meet the person of my dreams, but we can’t be together because of freaking CATS._

Luckily, Alfred plopped down on the couch next to her, pulling her from her thoughts that were starting to spiral downwards. “You ok dudett?” Mara smiled reassuringly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit nervous I guess.” “Well don’t be. I have a feeling you guys will get along fine. I haven’t known him to really start anything with anyone recently and although I don’t really talk to the guy much, Kiku says he is ok so I trust his judgment.” Mara felt herself relax a little. “Thanks, Al. I kind of needed that.”  He grinned and slung his arm around her shoulders. “No problem dude! That’s what a hero is for anyway!” 

A few minutes of relaxed silence later, a knock sounded from the door. Mara felt her heart leap from inside her chest at the unexpected sound. “Is it him?” Al just chuckled. “Well, I won’t know until I answer it.” “Well, then go answer it!” “I’m going! I’m going! Yeash…”  Mara practically squeezed the life out of her fingers as she waited for Alfred to return with whoever was at the door, probably her soulmate.

_Should I have dressed up? Was I supposed to? Oh god, what if I was, and he comes in all dressed up and he sees me in jeans and a shirt and he gets disappointed or embarrassed because he is the only one dressed up. That would be horrible. What if my not dressing up starts up out on a bad note, what if-_

Her thoughts were (thankfully) interrupted again as Al returned with what was obviously the most attractive man in all existence. With features that were so perfect, they could have been chiseled from stone, he came into the room after Alfred. Mara felt her heart skip a beat as his half-lidded olive green eyes land on her and his lips lift into a soft smile.

After a minute, Mara realized they had just been staring at each other. She cleared her throat and tried to sound as normal as possible. “Uh, hi. I’m Mara.” He nodded. “I know.” Mara felt her face get red. “Oh, right, you were there. Sorry.” A few more moments of silence, of Heracles staring at her in said silence. Just when she thought she would die of awkwardness, he finally spoke again. “You ready to leave γατάκι (Kitten)?” He held out his hand for her to take. Mara hesitated. She looked up Al who was giving her an encouraging smile. She looked to Heracles. He seemed to notice how nervous she was and reached over and held her hand gently in his, gently stroking the back if it as if to comfort her. “Everything will be ok, γατάκι, let’s go.”

After an almost tearful goodbye to Alfred, the couple made their way out of the building to the car waiting outside. As they started off on their way to the airport, Mara gathered her courage and turned to ask Heracles a question. “Um, I was wondering if you, like,  _absolutely_ had to get back home right away. Like, could you perhaps make a pit stop along the way? Maybe for a few days?” “What do you mean?” He asked cautiously. “Well, my grandparents left me their house when they died and they are buried on the property. I was wondering if there would be time for us to stay there for a bit, so I can say goodbye before I leave the country.” He paused to consider it. He didn’t think he had any pressing matters to attend to in the next few days.  _Plus,_ he mentally added,  _it could help her warm up to me a bit._  Although she was doing her best to hide it, he could tell the whole situation was making her nervous.  He had seen similar reactions to some of the cats he had rescued, halfway between wanting to run away or strike out.  _Although, there was the story of how America met her. Apparently, she took down four fully grown men_. He glanced again at her. Despite appearances, this woman was no helpless kitten. No matter how nervous she was. He finally spoke again. “Sure. We can stay there for a bit.” Mara relaxed in her seat and offered him a smile. “Thank you, Heracles. This means a lot to me.” He smiled in return and reached out to hold her hand again. “Your welcome, Τη λεύκα μου (my lioness).”

Mara wasn’t sure what he was calling her, but from his tone, it wasn’t anything bad. She would have to learn Greek now.  _Maybe living with his wouldn’t be so bad. He seems like a nice enough person. Maybe everything_ won’t  _be a disaster for once._


	17. Sweden's Route Chapter 1

In the water, Mara saw a man with short blond hair and a stern expression. However, Mara didn’t see any malice in his piercing blue eyes. She only saw kindness. He had only spoken to her to introduce himself, but Mara remembered him. He had scared her at first, but then he smiled softly and she instantly felt at ease.

“It’s Berwald.” Mara smiled and continued to stare into the water until the image faded. She stood and turned to Alfred, who had been suspiciously quiet the whole time. “What’s wrong guys?” Arthur spoke after a brief pause. “Well, nothing really. It’s just that, well, he is a little intimidating. I’m sure that the higher powers know what they are doing, I’ve haven’t known him to be mean in modern times and he is a neutral country, so he doesn’t pick fights.” Alfred chimed in. “Yeah dudett, he does look kind of terrifying. But I guess he isn’t all that bad. I just don’t think he knows how to smile. Or make any facial expressions at all.” Mara rolled her eyes. “He is my soulmate for a reason, guys. Everything will work out. Besides, he doesn’t scare me.” She smiled softly. “He seems nice.”

 

Alfred ended up calling Berwald to tell him the good news. He half hoped that he didn’t pick up his phone, but Alfred had no such luck. Berwald answered on the third ring. “Hallå?” A deep voice answered. “Hey there dude! It’s Alfred, you know, America.” There was a pause. “What do you need from me?” “Well, nothing actually. I just wanted to tell you that Mara found out who her soulmate is, and it’s you.” There was a longer pause in which Berwald sat in shock. Surely he heard wrong. He had never imagined that they would end up as soulmates. He remembered how she looked when he had introduced himself. She looked so frail and small, covered in scrapes and bruises. But she had the air of a fighter about her, he had seen it many times. “Berwald, you still there dude?” Alfred’s voice jerked him from his thoughts. “Ja. I will come to get her as soon as I can.” Alfred let out a large breath he had been holding in. “Sounds good, I’ll see you soon.”

Berwald sat in silence. His normally stoic face gave way to the whirlwind of emotions swirling through him. He was overjoyed to know he had a soulmate, however, this meant saying goodbye to Tino. His wife. No, his former wife. Mara was his wife now. Berwald had known for a while now that Tino didn’t return his strong feelings. And as the years passed he felt his feelings for Tino start to fade, but he still clung to the pretense of a relationship. All he wanted was companionship, a family. And until now, Tino and Peter had been his only chance at having one. But now… all of that had changed. He has a soulmate. “Mara.” Her name sounded almost like music to him. He wondered how she was going to feel about his ‘family’. Would she accept it, accept him? Or would she reject him and run?  _Well, the only way to find out is to go see her._ Berwald stood and went to look for Tino. They had a lot to discuss.

 

Mara sat in the living room, her leg tapping away with nerves. Not only was she leaving to go live with her soulmate today, Alfred had also been pacing for the last half hour. “Al, sit down already.” He kept pacing. “But Mara, you don’t understand, he is giant! And I don’t think anyone has ever seen him smile. I don’t think he can make you happy. Then there is that thing he has going on with Tino! You should just stay here with me, you will be bet-.” Mara finally had enough. “ALFRED! SIT. DOWN.” He obeyed immediately. Mara took several calming breaths before she spoke again. “Ok, now  _calmly_  tell me what you were saying earlier. What thing with Tino? He is Finland right?” Alfred looked nervous and he refused to look at her. “Al, what were you talking about?” Alfred heard the worry in her voice and felt a twinge of guilt. Alfred kept his eyes away from her, but he responded. “I really shouldn’t have said anything, I’m sure everything will work out.” “Al, if there is something I need to know, you  _have to_  tell me. I will be spending  _a lot_  of time with him and I need to know what I’m getting myself into.” Al finally glanced up at her and saw the worry in her eyes, despite her efforts to hide it. “Ok, look. I don’t know all the details, but I  _am_  good friends with Denmark, and he says that Finland and Sweden are, well, they are sort of a couple.” Mara leaned back in her seat. Her soulmate is  _gay_?  _How can he be my soulmate if he is gay? Ok, well maybe he’s bi or pan, which could work. But that doesn’t change the fact that he is already in a relationship._ “What do you mean, ’sort of a couple’?”  “Well, all Matthias said was that it’s complicated. I’m not really sure.” He hated that dejected look she had now.  _She was all excited to meet him and I ruined it with my big mouth._  He sat next to her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything, especially something I’m not sure about. But we were  _really_  drunk when Matthias told me that, so it could all be nonsense!” His attempt to cheer her up failed and Mara slumped further into the couch. “He’s your soulmate, Mara. You guys are literally meant to love each other. He  _will_ fall in love with you, dudett. It’s inevitable.” Mara nodded and forced herself to sit up. “I hope you’re right Al.” Alfred jumped up from the couch and struck a pose. “Of course I’m right! The Hero is never wrong!” Mara smiled and giggled a little. Alfred felt his own worries ebb when he heard her laugh. Mara relaxed a bit and felt a little better about the situation.  _I’ll find a way to get through this. I always do._

Several minutes later, there was a firm knock at the door. Mara’s heart practically leaped out of her chest. She instinctively knew who it was and nervously shifted in her seat. Alfred opened the door to reveal Berwald, who was sporting his usual expression. “Hey dude, Mara is in the living room.” Berwald nodded and walked into the living room to find a fidgeting Mara sitting on the edge of the couch. She looked up and their eyes met. Berwald felt his heart skip a beat and time stopped.  He didn’t see it before since she was covered in wounds, but now that she was almost completely healed, he saw that she was beautiful. She had long chocolate brown hair that fell in soft waves around her shoulders and her skin was like porcelain. But the thing that had him captivated were her eyes, emerald green edged by dark brown and yellow flakes surrounding her irises. He couldn’t bring himself to look away.

Mara knew her memory of Berwald was fuzzy, but she couldn’t believe she didn’t realize how incredibly handsome he was.  He was tall and broad-shouldered, obviously muscular under his black dress shirt. He had short blond hair and brilliant blue-green eyes. Those eyes held an intensity that had scared her at first, but now that she got a good look at them, they drew her into their depths. They held so much emotion in them. She saw a gentle soul behind his harsh expression. He slowly approached her, as if he were afraid that if he made any sudden movements, she would bolt. Mara stood and met him halfway. She had to crane her head back to look at him as he got closer. She smiled. “Hey, Berwald. It’s nice to see you again.” His face softened into a small smile. “It’s very good to see you too, wife.” He replied in his deep timber. Mara’s eyes widened in shock. “Wife?” Apprehension and uncertainty filled his eyes. “Well, I guess we are kind of married now, huh? Can’t get much more ‘together’ than soulmates.” Mara smiled again, setting him at ease. “Ok, I’ll be your wife.” Happiness flooded him and he smiled. “I am glad. Are you ready to go?” Mara nodded enthusiastically. “All set!” She retrieved her suitcase from the side of the couch. He was surprised at the small case but said nothing.  _No matter. She can get everything she needs when we get home._ His heart skipped a beat and warmth flooded him.  _Our home._

Mara walked up to Alfred, who resembled an abandoned puppy. “Al, don’t be sad, I told you, you can call and I’ll come back to visit, ok?” He pulled her into a tight hug, much to her surprise. “I’m gonna miss you, dudett.” “I know Al, I’ll miss you too.” She stepped away and stood next to her soulmate. Alfred looked at them sadly. “Take care of her, OK?” Berwald nodded once. “Of course.” He said as if it were obvious. He looked down at Mara. “Let’s go.” They walked out the door and closed it behind them. The emptiness Alfred felt in their absence was suffocating.

 

Berwald had a car waiting for them in front of the building. They both climbed into the back and sat awkwardly next to each other.  They sat in silence for most of the trip to the airport, neither of them knew how to start a conversation. However, what Alfred had said weighed heavily on Mara’s mind. She gathered up her courage and broke the silence. “Um, Berwald?” “Hm?”  “Well, there was something Alfred told me and I was wondering if you could clear some things up for me.” Berwald had a sinking feeling in his stomach. “What did he tell you?” He didn’t look at her, which only made her more nervous. “He said something about you being in a relationship with another man, Finland.” She took a steadying breath. “If you’re gay, bi or whatever, that’s fine. However, I am wondering how  _we_  will work.  I know we are soulmates, but you have probably been with Tino for longer than I’ve been alive, and I don’t want to get in the way of anything.” He finally turned to look at her, his intense stare set her at ease. She saw emotion swirling in his eyes, but she couldn’t place it this time. “I have been living with Tino for a long time, but the relationship has always been one-sided. Over the years my feelings started to fade. Living with him became a habit, also we stayed together for Peter’s sake.” “Who’s Peter?”  “My son.” “You have a  _son_?”  _funny how Al never mentioned that._  “Yes, he is the representation of Sealand. He sold himself on eBay, so I bought him.” “Oh. Ok, well that certainly does clear things up.” Mara sat back in her seat. Berwald’s worry increased with every minute she was silent.  He cleared his throat and spoke in a softer tone. “You don’t have to come with me. You can stay here and have a normal lifespan. I know this is a lot, I wouldn’t blame you for not wanting to stay with me.” Mara sighed and shook her head. She heard the despair in his voice and it made her heart ache.  She looked up at him. “No, Berwald. I’m not going anywhere. I just needed a minute to process everything. But, I do have a few questions. You and Tino are no longer a thing?” He shook his head and started to feel hopeful. “Will he be living with us?” He shook his head again.  “Will Peter be ok with Tino leaving? I don’t want to come in and have him think I’m taking one of his parents away from him. How old is he anyway?” “We had a talk with Peter before I left to come get you. He understands and said that he was ok with everything, as long as he gets to see Tino as much as he wants. He is excited to meet you, actually.” “Wow, he is taking this better than most kids. How old is he anyway?” “He looks around 12, but he has been around for over 50 years, so understands more than other kids who look his age.” Mara relaxed in her seat.  Berwald still looked nervous. “Look, Berwald. You are my soulmate. We are literally meant to be together. If you want me, I’ll stick by you no matter what.” He felt his heart swell and looked at her with a small, happy smile. “I would like that very much.” Mara smiled back. He looked so happy and it made her melt. “Good. Actually, I have one more question.” “What is it min fru?” “Could we make a stop before we go to Sweden?”  He raised an eyebrow. “Where would you like to go?” Mara shifted nervously. “My grandparents left me their house and property when they died and they are buried on the property. I haven’t been there since they died. I was hoping we could spend a few days there. I’d like to say goodbye.” Berwald wanted to comfort her and hold her, but people tended to run when he tried to do that, so he settled by resting his hand on her leg. “We can go, a few days is no problem.” Mara smiled happily. “Thank you, Ber.” A light pink dusted his cheeks. “Anything for min fru.”

 

Mara’s jaw just about hit the floor when she saw the inside of his  ** _private jet._** She hasn’t flown that much, and when she did it was coach, window seats were a luxury. This was amazing… _Damn._ Four individual cushioned seats, two recliners, two cushioned bench seats with a table between them, a small fridge and a small bar. It wasn’t that big, but it was way above first class. Mara and Berwald sat across from each other at the table. This time it was Berwald who broke the silence. “Tell me about yourself.” Mara, who had been lost in thought, jumped at the sound of his voice. “Huh? Oh, right.” She fought a brief internal battle over how much she should say. She was usually a private person but for some reason, she knew that she could trust him. Her heart was practically screaming it. For once, her head agreed.  _He is my soulmate, he deserves to know everything._ She fixed her eyes on the table and began. “My childhood wasn’t the best. My parents are alcoholics and love to gamble. They never wanted kids but then my mother got pregnant with twins.” Berwald sat quietly, only his eyes showing his growing concern. “They ignored Michelle and I unless it was taking care of our necessitates. Once we could use the microwave, our mother started to leave us alone to go to the casino with our father. After that, we were pretty much on our own. They barely even talked to us until we were old enough to work. And even then, they were only after our paychecks. A few months after our 16th birthday, our grandparents died, leaving us their house. We started to make plans to move out there ourselves, but before we could,” Mara paused, trying to push back her grief.  _No, just tuck it away. Just tuck it all away for later._  She squared her shoulders and forced the tears back down. “Before we could leave, Michelle was killed. The guy was trying to mug her and shot her by accident. The asshole left her to die. After that, I stopped trying to leave. I got a second job, I graduated high school and I got a better job. All of the money I made went to my parents. I don’t know why I stayed and allowed that to go one. I guess I figured that if I gave them enough, they would love me. You know, I can’t remember my parents ever hugging me, or showing any kind of affection. Only Michelle did that. After she died, I guess if kind of just shut down.” She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes still fixed on the table. “Anyway, that’s my life.”

Berwald sat in silence. She was like him in a way. While his appearance turned people away, people turned Mara away for simply existing. Neither of them knew much physical contact or comfort. He stared at her from across the table. Her eyes were downcast but her back was straight, refusing to show weakness. Yes, she was definitely a fighter. But Berwald could feel the sadness rolling off of her in waves. More than anything, he wanted to comfort her by taking her into his arms, but he didn’t want to spook her. He slowly stood and sat next to her. He saw her freeze as if she knew what he was trying to do and was bracing herself for it. Berwald was silently praying that she wouldn’t pull away from him. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and after a brief pause, Mara leaned into his touch. He seemed to radiate heat and she found herself desperate for that comforting warmth. Berwald’s heart was pounding, not only had she not pulled away, she leaned into him. With a little more confidence, he put his arm around her and pulled her against him. This time there was no hesitation, Mara melted into him, wrapped her arms around him and nestled her head into his chest. This time Berwald’s heart was close to bursting. She was hugging him back!  And it felt so right to have her in his arms and her snuggled into him. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone besides Peter gave him a hug. He pulled her into his lap, desperately needing more of the feeling, needing to be closer to his soulmate. Her arms went around his neck and she rested her head on his shoulder. Although she was straddling an  _extremely_  attractive man, there was no sexual tension. This was pure comfort, showing each other how much they cared without saying a word. They sat in silence for a while, feeling each other’s heartbeats. “Thank you.” He whispered softly into her hair. Mara pulled back and looked into his eyes. His face held a soft, tender expression. “For what?” His hand came up to brush her hair behind her ear. “For not being afraid of me.” “Oh, Ber,” She caressed his cheek. “You could never scare me, you’re too nice.” She smiled sheepishly. “Besides, what kind of wife would I be if I was afraid of my sweet, kindly husband?” Berwald’s heart all but stopped.  _Husband. She called me ‘Husband’._  He moved as if in a trance, cradling her face between his large hands. “Min Skatt. Jag älsker dig. Du är allt jag någon sin kunnat drömma om.” Mara cocked her head to the side in confusion. He smiled softly, effectively melting her heart into a puddle. “You are my treasure. You are everything I could ever dream of.” He hesitated, fear creeping in. He tried to tell her the rest, he really did, but he chickened out at the last second. “I know we have just met, but I…I have strong feelings for you.” Mara was stunned into silence.  _Already?!_  She forced herself to relax and listen to her heart. They understood each other. Two love-starved souls found each other and found comfort. She knew she would always find affection and acceptance in his arms and she knew he could always find the same in hers.  _It’s fine. It’s not like he is confessing his love for me, just that he has strong feelings, which really could be interpreted as anything._ Mara smiled as she replied. “So do I, Ber.”  He heaved a sigh of relief and pulled her into his chest again. Mara could feel herself starting to get addicted to his warmth. She snuggled closer. “Thank you.” She whispered. “For what?”

“For caring about me.” He chuckled. “How could I not? You are wonderful.” He said as if he felt like the luckiest man in the world.  _Somehow, I think I am the lucky one._


	18. Denmark's Route Chapter 1

The image Mara saw reflected in the water made her pause. Not out of excitement, anxiousness, or even fear, rather out of sheer curiosity. She was silent for so long that both Alfred and Arthur began to grow worried, especially at her impassive face.

Mara definitely recognized him. How could anyone forget his wild unkempt hair, wide confident grin, and those ice blue eyes that held laughter and mischief? He had only stayed at the apartment for two days but had managed to fit in plenty of conversations with both Alfred and Mara. He was definitely a talker and a loud one at that. Once he left for his own home, she had a few, brief interactions with him over the phone. He would often call for Alfred, but since Al was usually playing video games when he was home, it was usually up to Mara to answer the phone. When she did, he would always ask about her instead of immediately asking for Al, which she could admit to herself was sweet. But on the rare occasions, Al wasn’t home when he called, they would end up talking on the phone for a little while. He had a habit of asking blunt, semi-personal questions about her but Mara glossed over those with short, impersonal answers. While it was slightly aggravating at first, she ended up not really minding all that much as he usually accepted whatever answer she gave and didn’t press any further. Mara was having some difficulty sorting out her emotions as she stared at his image. She wasn’t overly excited or disappointed. But neither was she completely neutral about it. The closest word she could come up with for how she felt was curious. Although they had talked frequently, Mara had maintained her emotional shield that helped her keep her distance from the world around her. She didn’t dislike him, but she had never entertained the idea that he would be her soulmate, so she never allowed herself to be completely comfortable around him.  _Looks like that will have to change. Looks like I will finally have to learn how to get close to someone and let them get to know me._ And although she prided herself in being self-reliant, she couldn’t help the small voice that spoke in the back of her mind.  _I hope he likes the ‘real’ me._ She chose to ignore that voice.

“Um, are you ok dear?” Mara shook herself from her thoughts and looked up from the water to see two concerned faces looking back at her. “You looked like you were lost in thought there for a bit, love. Is everything ok?” Arthur asked again. Mara smiled and nodded. “Yeah, it's fine. I did get lost in thought for a bit, sorry.” Alfred looked like he was about to explode from apprehension. “DUDE! Don’t make me beg, who did you get? Are you disappointed? Is it someone you don’t like? Do you not know them? Are you excited?  Nervous?” He continued firing off questions faster than Mara could even begin to answer until Arthur got fed up and smacked him on the back of the head. “Shut up, you idiot! If you want her to answer. You have to  _let_  her answer, moron!” “Man, you didn’t have to hit so hard…” Al grumbled and rubbed the back of his head. Mara shook her head in amusement. No matter how much they denied it, they acted like brothers. “Continue, dear.”

“To answer your questions, no I’m not disappointed, yes I know them, Kind of excited, and yeah, I’m a little nervous, but I think anyone would be.” Mara purposely left out the answer she knew they both were dying to hear. Al miraculously stayed quiet, no doubt trying to keep his head from being slapped again. But he was fidgeting like crazy. Mara had to keep herself from laughing. Once Arthur started to look agitated that she wasn’t answering, she decided to finally tell them who she had gotten. “I got Matthias.” Alfred immediately leaped into the air, shouting with joy. “Oh my God, Dude, you have no idea how cool this is! He is so cool! You are going to love him! I mean, well, yeah, duh, soulmates, of course, you will, but that’s beside the point.” He finally sat down. Sometime during all the shouting, Arthur had gathered his thing, waved goodbye to Mara and left. Alfred sat down next to her on the couch. “Dude, you had me so worried.” “About what?” “Dude! I almost thought you had gotten Russia or something!” Mara tried to remember all the countries she had met. “Have I met him yet?” Al shook his head. “Thankfully, no. Hopefully, you will never have to.” He looked uncharacteristically serious, so Mara decided to drop the subject. “So what now?” He looked at his watch. “Now, Matthias will call any minute and then I tell him the good news.” “You will? Why can’t I?” “I have some things to talk to him about anyway, so it’s easier if I do it.” Right on que, the phone rang. Al hopped up from his seat and rushed into another room to answer it. “I’ll be right back!” He said over his shoulder as he jogged off.

 _That is one weird dude._  She giggled at her choice of words.

 

Al finally answered the phone once he reached his room and closed the door. “Hey, bro! What’s up?” There was a brief pause of surprise before his friend answered. “Hey! You answered! That’s a first. No video games today?” Al threw himself onto his bed and kicked his shoes off. “Nah, not yet. Had other stuff to do. Why? You disappointed that Mara didn’t pick up again?” He teased. “What? No! Of course not.” Matthias nervously cleared his throat. He wasn’t  _that_  obvious, was he? “But, uh, how is she anyway?” Alfred chuckled. Yes, his friend  _was_ that obvious. “She’s good. Artie came by and helped her find out who her soulmate is.” He said as casually as he could with a giant grin on his face. Matthias felt his heart drop down into his stomach.  _Could it be me? No, if it was, Al would just tell me. Wouldn’t he? That means it must be someone else._ He tried to hide his disappointment from his voice. “Oh really?” Al stifled a snicker. Matthias wasn’t very good at hiding his emotions. “Yeah. She seems pretty happy. Though she did admit she was a bit nervous. She’s met him, so she already kind of knows him.” Matthias heard clenched tighter with every word Alfred said.  _She’s happy huh? Well, that’s good at least. Damn, I really thought it was going to be me._ The first time he met her, Matthias felt a weird  _tug_  in his gut. It felt like he was being pulled towards her. He dismissed it at first, except he felt it every time he was near her. He told his fellow Nordics, but they had dismissed it as his imagination. The feeling went away once he went home, so he tried to forget about it. But once he had talked to her over the phone a few times, he started to get to know her a little. Only a little since she never told him too much about herself, but that didn’t stop the small fluttering in his heart every time he heard her voice.  _Well, at least she will be happy._ “So, uh, who is it? Anyone I know?” Alfred couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore. “Dude! Cheer up! It’s you!” Matthias froze as he processed this information. He suddenly shouted for joy. “Yes! I knew it! I fucking knew it! You asshole! You had me worried!” Alfred’s laughter died down. “Sorry bro, I couldn’t help it. It was a golden opportunity to get you back for the last prank you pulled.” Matthias chuckled at the memory of Alfred jumping around and cursing every time he landed on the Legos he spread around his floor. Legos really were the best. “So she’s excited?” He asked. He couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous. He was rarely nervous or anxious about meeting new people or trying to get the occasional date (one night stand), but this was different. It didn’t really matter to him if some random girl rejected him, he could always look for another. But Mara wasn’t just a random girl at a bar or coffee shop, she was his soulmate. The one person in the world, in all of his long history he can build a real relationship with. Al interrupted his thoughts. “Yeah, kind of. She said she wasn’t disappointed at least. I think it’s just ‘cause she doesn’t really know you yet, you know? She seems to be kind of a private person. Not mean or cold, just like she is… shit, what’s the word I’m looking for?” Matthias couldn’t help but snort. “How the hell should I know?” “Scared? Kind of, not really… worried? No, not that either…I guess if you can mix those with cautious… Apprehensive! That’s the word!  It’s like she is waiting for something bad to happen.” “Ahh…” realization dawned on Matthias. “Yeah, I was getting some hint of that when we would talk. She was never rude, but it was like she never really answered my questions.” AL nodded, forgetting that his friend couldn’t see him. “But then, how am I supposed to get to know her if she won’t  _talk_ to me?” Al sighed. He had been thinking the same thing. “I don’t know man, maybe just time? I got the feeling something else happened to her other than what we already know. Whatever it is, it’s got her messed up a little. I’d just be patient with her. But still push a little. Not too much.” There was a brief silence before they both started laughing. “Damn, since when did we get so fucking smart? That was pure brilliance!” “Yeah, why can’t you be like that at meetings, Mr. ‘Let’s build a robot to save the world’” “Hey! That was a good idea! A giant robot  _would_  be able to save the world.” Matthias rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Anyway, I have to make arrangements to leave for a few days. Maybe I’ll take her sightseeing before we jump right into moving in and living together.” “Sounds good, bro. I’ll see you soon.” “See you later.”  

 

Three full days later, [Mara](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.pinterest.com/pin/82894449364955573/) is staring herself down in the mirror.   _Ok Mara, you got this. You have managed to survive your whole life, you can survive this._ She snorted and shook her head in disappointment.  _Really, survive? I’m leaving with my soulmate, not fending off an alien invasion. This is supposed to be a good thing. It_ is  _a good thing. All I’m doing is leaving to move in with Matthias. A man a barely know. All because some invisible people only Arthur has talked to says so. I’m moving halfway around the world, to a place I’ve never been, where they speak a language I don’t know, because…Why?_ She forced the rising panic back down and seriously tried to think of an answer.  _Because…I trust Arthur? No, that’s not really it. I only believed him after I got proof. So then why am I going along with this?_ Mara wracked her brain, unable to find an answer until a stray thought entered her mind that made her heart twinge.  _Because I just want to be happy. I want to be able to smile and laugh like everyone else and really mean it. I’m just tired of being alone. Matthias is my soulmate. While nothing is guaranteed, this is probably my last chance to meet someone who is more likely to stay and actually care about me than leave or betray my trust. Trust. When was the last time I did that?_  Mara shook herself from her thoughts, took a deep breath, and have her reflection a half smile.  _I can do this._ Nerves still coursed through her. But she walked out of her room with her head held high, forcing an air of confidence. Whether it was to convince others or herself, she wasn’t entirely sure.

 

After a few minutes of sitting on the couch and listing to Alfred tell  _more_  stories of his exploits with the ‘Awesome Trio’, as they liked to call themselves, there was a loud pounding at the door. Mara jumped in her seat and Alfred practically ran to the door to answer it. She could tell who it was by the equally loud exclamations of greetings and ‘Bro!’ As she heard their (again) loud footsteps approaching the living room, Mara stood to greed [Matthias](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=223748730). As soon as he saw her, his face broke out into a wide grin and a more sappy part of Mara swore that it was as if the sun itself had entered the room. She couldn’t help the small, happy smile on her own face as she raised her hand to shake his in greeting. Obviously ignoring it, He bounded over to her and wrapped her up in his arms, lifting her off of the floor. Mara was taken aback at the sudden hug, but she admitted to herself that it wasn’t as if she  _hated_  it. She awkwardly returned the hug as he finally set her back down on the ground. He stepped back, but not much. She had to crane her neck back to look at him. As she caught sight of his eyes, she felt her breath catch. She hadn’t really given him much thought before so she never noticed, but damn, were his eyes gorgeous. How could eyes that were so icy blue manage to hold such warmth? And it wasn’t just his eyes, his whole body seemed to radiate the same heat. Not overbearing like standing in sun, but like curling up by a fire on a cold day.  _Ok, when did I become a poet? Snap out of it, Mara. You’re staring._

But if Matthias noticed or cared that she was staring, he never acted like it. He simply smiled wider. “It’s good to see you min kaere (my dear).” Mara Smiled back. His joy seemed to be contagious. “It’s nice to see you too. What did you call me, by the way?” He laughed, and was that a  _blush_? “Just a term of endearment. I’ll teach you some Danish later. You all set to go?” She nodded and held up her small suitcase. “All set.”

After a brief and slightly tearful goodbye to Alfred, Matthias and Mara loaded up her stuff in the car and set off towards the Airport.

Mara quickly learned that she would never have to worry about awkward silences with Matthias. As soon as they set off, he filled the silence with excited chatter about how he couldn’t wait to show her his home ( _their_  home now). “And guess what? I planned a sightseeing trip as soon as we get there! It covers all the major placed across the country, you are going to love it!”  _Oh, will I? Thank you for making that decision for me_ love  _being told what I’m going to do and how much I will like it._  She was about to voice her snarky thought when she looked over at him. He very closely resembled an excited puppy and she suddenly couldn’t bring herself to do it.  _Well, I guess it does sound fun. I guess I can keep an open mind._

 

“Um, Matthias?” She interrupted him as he was describing in detail every single stop they were going to make. “Yeah?” “I know you are super excited to super excited to start this sightseeing trip and trust me, I’m looking forward to it too, but I was wondering if we could make a stop first. I was hoping to spend some time at my grandparent’s house before we left the country.” To her surprise, without any hesitation, he replied. “Sure! Sound’s fun. I’ll let the pilot know when we get to the airport.”  _Well, that was easy._  “Oh, ok. Cool, thanks.” He just chuckled and continued off where he was before she has interrupted him. Mara was only half listing. She was happy that she didn’t have to start delving into her family stuff just yet. She knew she would have to, and probably soon. But for now, she relaxed in her seat and let Matthias warmth and laughter infect her, smiling softly.

_Maybe this won’t be so bad after all._


	19. Norway's Route Chapter 1

While Mara recognized who the figure with light blond hair and dark blue eyes was, all she really knew was his name. Lukas, the personification of Norway. Her lack of knowledge of him was mostly due to the impassive, almost bored expression even his reflected image had. He had stayed in the area longer than most, visiting her every day. But he gave little explanation as to why. He barely spoke to her while he was there, choosing to sit and read in whatever room she was occupying. She had to admit, she was a little creeped out at first. But he never really did anything too creepy, like watching her all the time. He actually seemed to ignore her for the most part, except for the fact he would look up from his book whenever she left the room. She was a quiet person by nature, so she never really tried to start a conversation with him. There was the time she gave in to her curiosity and asked him what he was reading. He wordlessly held up the book so she could see the cover. It was in what she assumed was Norwegian. She didn’t try to talk to him after that.

Mara studied the image of her newly discovered soulmate. It wasn’t like he looked mean or anything, just that the world around him was too insignificant for him to take notice. Almost like he was constantly off in his own world. Mara often held the same expression when she was younger and trying to escape her current reality for a while.

Mara could practically  _feel_  how anxious Alfred was to know she saw. Before he could start bombarding her with a hundred questions, she answered his unspoken question. “Lukas. I got Lukas.” Surprisingly, at least to her, Arthur was the one who grinned and pat her on the shoulder. “Congratulations, dear. He will make a wonderful match for you.” Mara looked up in surprise. “You know him?” Arthur was confused until he realized that she was unconscious during their attempts to save her that first night. She didn’t know how much of a role Lukas played in saving her life. “Very well. While we are not exactly best friends, I have known him for a long time and worked with him on many occasions. Tell me, do you remember anything from the first night you were here?” Mara stopped to think. That night and the next day were sort of a blur to her, but she did manage to put together bits and pieces. “Somewhat. I remember you telling me about the whole magic, soulmates, and personification thing, but that’s about it. Oh, and I punched Al in the face.” Arthur let out a chuckle. “Yes, I remember that very clearly. It is one of my favorite memories.” Alfred stuck out his tongue, but both Arthur and Mara ignored him. “Do you remember Lukas being there?” Mara frowned and tried to sort out her memories. “No, I don’t. He was there that night?” Arthur nodded. “After you collapsed in the alleyway and Alfred brought you here, Yao was the first one to take a look at you.” Alfred started to look visibly upset at the memory. She knew she was in bad shape but was it really that bad? “Yao said that you were in pretty bad shape. Not only were you underweight and dehydrated, but you were very sick. Yao said that you must have been in a lot of pain.” The pain was something Mara remembered. The constant twisting, stabbing feeling in her gut and the burn in her throat from too much vomiting. “So how did he fix me so fast?” “He didn’t. He could have, but it would have taken much longer, perhaps weeks, to help you recover.” Mara cocked her head in confusion. “So then how did I get better so fast?” Arthur shifted in his seat, almost nervously. Although he knew that Mara already knew about his ability to use magic, she didn’t know about the other two. “We had to step in and help.” “Who is ‘we’?” “The other two magic users.” Mara sat there open-mouthed. “There are three of you?” Arthur nodded nervously. “Yes. Myself, Romania, and Lukas. We were able to heal you enough to clear the illness from your body. You see my dear, Lukas helped to save your life.” Mara sat there on the couch in shock. It was a lot to take in. Not only was she worse off than she thought she had been, but this entire time, she had no idea that there were others who had helped her.  _Could he have stayed here so long because he was…worried about me?_  As she was trying to process this new information, Arthur stood. “I know it’s a lot. I’ll take my leave for now, but if you want, I’ll stay in the area until Lukas gets here.” He looked up to Alfred. “If that’s ok with you that is.” Alfred grinned. “Of course bro! This just means more bonding time!” Arthur groaned. “Great.” He started to gather his things. “I’ll give him a call when I get to my hotel and tell him. I’ll let you know what the plan is after.” With a smile and a wave of his hand, he left. Leaving a still very contemplative Mara in a daze on the couch.

 

By the time Arthur had made it inside his hotel room, it was 7:30. He was halfway through dialing Lukas’s number when he realized there was a huge time difference. He made the conversion in his head and paled slightly. It was 1:30 in the morning there. He had made the mistake of waking Lukas up once. Just once. Arthur shuttered at the memory. He would have to wait until the Norwegian man could have his coffee before he tried to call him. It would mean he would have to wait until it was 3 AM here, but he would rather do that than deal with Lukas before he had his coffee. It was safer that way.

 

Hours later Lukas was sitting in his kitchen, still trying to wake up with his second cup of coffee. The morning was thankfully quiet. He had just spent the last week in his house close to the city while the rest of the Nordics were visiting. They usually spent the year taking turns visiting each other, this time it was his turn. He loved his fellow Nordics, he really did, but after a week in the same house as Matthias drinking and annoying everyone, Lukas strangling him with his tie, Berwald glaring at Matthias, Tino trying to keep the peace by baking and cooking, and Emil holed up in his room while chaos ensued downstairs, Lukas really needed a break from everything. So he decided it was time to visit his old cottage by the sea. It was beautiful but more importantly, it was  _quiet._  He was looking forward to a day of light paperwork, reading, taking a walk by the shore and maybe even a little baking. He sighed in content. If all went well, today was going to be a great day.    

That dream was quickly shattered by the harsh ringing of his phone. Lukas scowled and looked at the caller ID. When he saw it was England, He sighed and rolled his eyes. His fellow magic user only called him when something was wrong or needed his attention.  So much for a relaxing day. He answered his phone with a sigh.  “Ja, hva er det?” (Yeah, what is it?)  “Sorry to call so early. I hope you had some time for coffee at least?” Lukas stared longingly into his half-empty cup. “Yeah, I guess. What’s happened?”

“Well, it’s about Mara.” Arthur had no need to ask if Lukas had remembered her. Lukas had been sending texts asking for updates on her somewhat frequently. They may not be the best of friends, but Arthur could say with a comfortable amount of certainty that this was unusual.  

Lukas was briefly worried. Had something happened to her? But then he realized if something was wrong, England wouldn’t have sounded so relaxed. “What about her?” “Well, I left Alfred’s place a few hours ago after visiting with her to see if she was ready to figure out who her soulmate was.” Lukas could already see this going one of two ways.

  1.  England messed up (again) and needed Lukas to help him fix it. (again)
  2.  …



He didn’t want to think about number two. The probability was so slim. Even if he discounted all the micronations, who would all be too young to be with her, there would be dozens of potential candidates. There was no point obsessing over something that would likely never happen.

“Did something go wrong?” Arthur sighed. “Seriously, how long is everyone going to hold that over my head? You mix up  _one_  spell….” Lukas gritted his teeth. It was too early for him to start lecturing. “Just spit it out. What happened?” “Well, with that attitude, I just might not say anything.”

Lukas let out a sound that was close to a growl. He would have needed at least three cups of coffee before he could be calm enough to deal with this shit. Thankfully for Arthur, he seemed to realize he was treading on thin ice. “Um, well, on second thought, I think I will tell you anyway.” Arthur cleared his throat before continuing. “Well, I guess I’ll just come out and say it. The spell worked. She saw you. You are her soulmate.” Lukas sat in stunned silence. That was not what he had been expecting. Considering the low odds, it was something he had never even considered happening.

 _Soulmate. I have a soulmate._ The implications of such a thing suddenly ran through his mind. This means he would have to live with her. Or really, her with him. He would never truly be alone. He did spend some time with her but hadn’t really gotten to know her all that well. What was she like? She seemed to be rather quiet when he saw her, but that could have just been because she was still hurt. What if she was like Matthias, loud and obnoxious. Or what if she was mean spirited and cruel? He mentally chided himself. He was being ridiculous. The Higher Powers had revealed that Mara was his soulmate, his other half, his perfect match, or however you wanted to say it. That meant that whoever she was, he would be able to get along with her, and maybe (probably) even fall in love with her.

_Love. When was the last time I was even in a relationship?_

“Lukas? Are you still there?” Arthur’s voice shook him from his thoughts. “Ja, jeg er her.” (Yeah, I’m here)

Lukas downed the rest of his now cold coffee in one large gulp. “Thank you for informing me. I please tell America I will be there to pick her up in two days.” He hung up before Arthur could reply.

 _Thank the gods the others weren’t here to hear that._ If his fellow Nordics found out about him and Mara, it would be chaos. Well, more chaos than usual.  Matthias would demand celebratory drinks and he was sure Tino and Berwald would team up to start planning a wedding. At least his dear baby brother would be calm about it. But that damn bird he kept with him would no doubt give him all kinds of grief.

No, Lukas planned on waiting as long as possible before telling them. If he told them at all.

 

TWO DAYS LATER

 

[Mara](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=224123036) nervously tapped her foot as she sat on the couch awaiting Lukas’s arrival.  She glanced at the clock again.  Five more minutes.  _What if he’s late? What if he just doesn’t show? He did say 5 pm, right? Oh god, what if he said tomorrow instead of today?_

“Oh my God, dude! Stop with the foot!” Al groaned in annoyance. Mara stilled her leg and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, just a little nervous I guess.” Al rolled his eyes. “A little?” He sat next to her and pulled her into a brief side hug. “You’ll be fine, dudett. Its destiny and junk.” Mara chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right, I guess.” He gasped over dramatically. “Of course I’m right! The hero is never wrong!” He shot his fist up in a victory pose. Mara laughed, her nerves finally leaving her.  He chuckled and pat her on the top of her head. “See? If you just relax and be yourself, Lukas will have no choice but fall for you.”  Mara smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Al. you know, you’re not as ridiculous as you look.” He smiled and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well you’re not as boring as  _you_  look.”

In the three weeks Mara had spent with Alfred, they had gotten pretty close. Although he looked younger than her, he was like the older brother she never had. “I’m gonna miss you, Al.” He looked at her sadly. “I’m gonna miss you too, dudett.” A hard, protective look came over him. “I know what I said, but if anything happens, you call me, ok? I’ll kick his ass if I have to.” Now it was Mara’s turn to reassure him. “Don’t worry, Al. I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself, remember?” His face softened. “Yeah, I remember. But I’m allowed to worry anyway.” They sat in a comfortable silence. Mara’s inner turmoil had quieted for the most part, but she was still coming to terms over what lied ahead of her.

_I’ll be moving halfway across the world. I’ve never left the country before. I hear Norway gets really cold, I’ll have to get a lot of winter clothes. Speaking of which, I can’t assume Lukas will pay for everything. Soulmate or not, I’ve always paid for myself. That will mean getting a job. But don’t even speak the language. Well, I can’t be the soulmate to the personification of Norway and not learn the language, history, and culture. I hope he can teach me._

_I wonder what he’s like. Arthur said he is a good guy. The times I saw him, he was pretty quiet though. We have that in common at least._ She giggled to herself.  _One of us will have to take initiate conversations and stuff though, we can’t build a relationship if all we do is sit in silence a glance at each other._

A soft knock on the door drew her from her thoughts. She looked up at Al nervously. “He pat her on the head again and rose to answer the door.

 

“Hey dude, come on in.” Lukas nodded and entered, shutting the door behind him. Al placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him before Lukas could make his way to the living room. “Hey, wait. I need to talk to you first.” Lukas turned to him and raised an eyebrow in response. “Look, I don’t know you all that well, but I do know that you tend to keep people at a distance. I also know that no matter how hard she is trying to hide it, Mara is kind of freaking out. Just… fuck, I don’t know, just be nice to her ok? She’s already been through enough, and that’s just since I’ve known her. God knows what her life was like before. I can’t tell you how to feel or anything, but try to make her happy. Lord knows she deserves it.”  

Lukas pondered Alfred’s words. Was she nervous? About what, meeting him?  _Well, that makes two of us then._ As much as he hated to admit it, he was nervous around people he didn’t know. Which is why he was pretty removed from people in general. But he was willing to try. For her.

“Was that all?” Lukas replied in a bored tone. Alfred just stared at him dumbfounded. Did this guy really not care about  _anyone?_  As if reading his mind, Lukas continued. “You’re right. You don’t know me all that well.” With that, Lukas turned and made his way to the living room.

 

Mara stood as she saw Lukas enter with Al on his heels, a small frown on his face. Mara gave him a look.  _What happened?_  He shrugged and shook his head.  _Don’t worry about it._  She nodded. Their silent exchange didn’t escape Lukas’s notice. Although logically he knew it would make sense that the two of them were close, personifications usually didn’t spend a lot of time with one of their citizens in particular, they usually found it easy to bond with them when they did. They were the personification them all, after all. His brain knew this, but that didn’t stop a bitter, unfamiliar feeling from twisting in his gut. The feeling was quickly dissipated the second her eyes landed on him. Gods were they beautiful. Deep green with small yellow flakes and lined with dark brown. He could stare at them forever. He was snapped from his daze as she reached out to shake his hand with a small, nervous smile. “It’s nice to see you again, Lukas.” He reached out with what he hoped was his usual expression and gently shook her hand. It would be mortifying if his famous stony expression was cracked by simply looking at her. “Good to see you.”

 

Mara was trying to keep her smile, but it was damn hard when the person she was fated to be with only looked mildly interested in meeting her.  _I knew he wouldn’t be impressed. I mean come on, he has lived for how long? I’m sure he has seen way more attractive girls than me._

_No, stop it. Things will turn out however they are meant to. I can take care of myself. Soulmate or no soulmate._

“Are you ready to go?”  Mara shook herself from her thoughts and nodded her head. “Yeah, got my things right here.” She reached down and grabbed her small suitcase. He raised an eyebrow in surprise at the small size. Mara instantly relaxed at the small gesture.  _So he_ can _show emotions._  He didn’t comment, however. He simply nodded. “Ok then, if that’s all, we should get going.” He turned to go when once again, he was stopped. “Um!” He turned back to her. “Uh, sorry, but I was wondering if we could make a stop on our way to Norway? I know you are probably busy, but if there is time, could we stay somewhere for a few days? There are some people I want to say goodbye to before…” She trailed off. Saying it out loud just made it all that much more real. She cleared her throat before she continued.  “Before I leave the country.”

Norway stopped to think. He wanted to get back as soon as he could.  _It’s not like I have a lot of work waiting for me though. I_ could  _spare a few days. Besides, maybe this will help make her happy like America said._

Finally reaching a decision, he nodded. “It won’t be a problem.” Mara relaxed a little more and smiled, almost all traces of nerves gone. “Thank you.” Before he could blush, he turned and started walking out the door, leaving Mara to practically run to catch up.

 

 _Well, apparently it will take some work to get this going. Neither of us seems to like being around strangers. And he seems to be a little… gruff? No. Cold? Not really… More like… distant. Yep, definitely hard work._ Mara stared at his back and smiled. He had slowed down, seemingly to allow her to catch up.

_But worth it, I think._


	20. Finland's Route Chapter 1

 Mara had to study the image of her supposed soulmate for a while before she remembered who he was.  _Pale blond hair…and are those_ violet  _eyes?_ Although his eyes were striking, it was his smile that jogged her memory. His smile seemed to radiate kindness and joy. It was so infectious, that her lips twitched into a small smile of her own. “Tino.” She said as she looked up at Alfred and Arthur, who were looking at her expectantly. “I got Tino.” Apparently, he was well liked by them, because they both sported smiles of their own when they heard the news. “Congrats, dudett. Finny is a pretty cool dude.” Arthur nodded. “Yes, although I have not had the pleasure of spending much time with him, I have heard only good things. I think it will be a very good match.” With that, he started collecting his things so he could make his way back home. Alfred waved goodbye to Arthur absent-mindedly as he scrolled through his contacts for Tino’s number. “I’ll give him a quick call and figure out when he can come pick you up.” He called over his shoulder as he made his way to another room to make the call, leaving Mara alone in the living room with her thoughts.

Tino was one of the first to leave after the night Alfred took her in, so she didn’t really get to know much more than his name.   _I wonder what kind of person he is. If both Al and Arthur like him, then he can’t be that bad right? And his smile is just…incredible. Then again, I know that you can’t judge people based on their looks. For all I know, he could just be a really happy looking asshole._  His smile flashed through her mind again.  _Somehow I doubt it though._

Tino was woken up by the usually cheerful, now annoying, ring of his phone. He rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, hoping whoever it was would just give up.

He had no such luck. After the tenth ring, Tino grumbled and rolled back over to grab his phone. Who was calling him at two am? Oh. America. Tino sighed and answered the phone. “Joo? Onko jotain vikaa?” (Yeah? Is something wrong?) He managed to take the annoyance of being woken up at Two am, without coffee, but his voice was still laden with grogginess. “Uh, what? Sorry, I know a bunch of languages, but yours is like, impossible to learn.” Tino slightly pouted at that. “Sorry. I asked if something is wrong. I don’t usually get calls at  _two in the morning._ ” “Oh, sorry about that, dude. I forgot about the time difference. I do need to talk to you about something important, though.” Tino woke up a little more. Alfred rarely called him, much less to talk about something important. He usually called when Matthias had too much to drink after a meeting. “Is something wrong?” He asked again, worry creeping into his voice.  “No! Not at all! Actually, it’s good news. So you remember Mara, right?” Tino certainly did. He very clearly remembered the night Matthias burst into his room shouting that the missing Soulmate had been found. Then when they all piled into the living room, he saw her laid out on the couch, unconscious. He was a natural worrier, but that twisting of nerves in his gut was a new feeling.  He had looked forward to getting to know her, but unfortunately, he had been called back by his boss to help plan the next festival. 

“Yes, of course, I remember her. Is she doing alright?” “Yeah, pretty good. She’s got most of her strength back, but she still gets tired easily. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. Arthur came by earlier to help her figure out who her soulmate is.” Tino began to get excited. There was only one reason he could see why Alfred would talk to him about this.  _Oh god, it’s me! Or…_ Tino slumped.  _Ber._ People usually went through him if they wanted to get a message to Berwald. “Who did she get?” Tino held his breath in anticipation. “It’s you, dude!” He let out his breath all at once. “Me? Are you sure?” Alfred laughed. “Yeah, pretty sure. But, um, hey. I got kind of a personal question to ask. I know we aren’t like, best friends but Mara is a good friend, so I feel like I gotta ask since she doesn’t really know about this.”  _This? Oh…_ “It’s about me and Berwald, isn’t it?” “Yeah… look, no one is trying to break any up, but I feel like Mara deserves to know if her soulmate is already in a relationship.” “It’s… complicated.” Tino replied nervously. He never really talked about his relationship with Ber before. “Well, try.” Al said in a tone that could be almost taken as stern. “Bottom line, Mara has nothing to worry about. I’m available for her.” There was a brief silence. “What about Berwald, will he start raising hell once he finds out his  _wife_ belongs to someone else?” Tino replied immediately in a stern voice. “I’ll take care of Berwald. Don’t worry about it.” That answer seemed to satisfy Alfred. “So when are you going to swing by to get her?” Tino was still reeling from the shock.  _Me. She got me!_ “Um, I should be able to get there in…” he quickly checked the calendar on his phone. “Two-no, three days. I will be there in three days.” “Perfect! I’ll let Mara know and help her get ready. See you soon!”

Tino laid back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was not looking forward to the conversation with Ber. Their relationship had always been complicated. While Tino had been aware of Ber’s feelings from the beginning, Tino never could return them, even after he stopped being afraid of him. It wasn’t from a lack of trying, god did he try. He really did end up liking him, but just as a friend. However, it seemed that Ber just wasn’t happy with that answer. Then Peter came into the picture, which complicated everything. Tino adored Peter, like he did for all children, and couldn’t bring himself to break apart the young country’s family. So he decided that their relationship would work, but with a few rules.

  1.  Tino was nobody’s ‘Wife’
  2.  They each maintain their own separate homes.
  3.  When they did stay in the shared one, Tino got his own room.
  4.  Berwald had to stop making passes at him.



Berwald had resisted at first and had retaliated by calling him ‘wife’ in front of people. But Tino had made it clear that he was not someone Ber could walk over. He was Finland. His own strong, independent country. If he could hold his own against the Soviet Union, then he could handle Berwald.

After a few years, Ber started to back down and after a few decades, their ‘relationship’ was running smoothly. The only reason Tino was reluctant to leave him now was that Berwald was truly his best friend. He felt terrible that he couldn’t feel the same way as him. He had even tried to set him up with other people, but none of them were up to par. He could only wish Berwald found his soulmate soon so that he wouldn’t have to be alone.

 

Three days later

 

Mara sat at the desk in her room, a small packed suitcase sitting next to her, ready to go. She was resting her chin on one hand as she studied the screen of Al’s laptop, her other hand slowly scrolling through the pages.  After she had discovered that her soulmate wasn’t one of the countries she was already acquainted with, she decided to do some research. He was the literal personification of his country, so she figured she could get some information by looking up brief explanations of the history and customs of Finland. While it wouldn’t tell her much about the  _man,_ it could tell her more about him as a country. As she opened and read article after article, she quickly realized one thing.  _He is much stronger and much fiercer than he looks._ As she moved on from history to modern customs, she had to shake her head at some of the more ridiculous competitions.  _Mobile phone throwing? Really?_

Mara lost track of time as she buried herself in articles, videos, and lists about the place she was moving to and the Country she was moving  _with_. Before she knew it, she heard the muffled sound of the doorbell. She took some deep breaths to calm her heart rate that had spiked. She stood and straightened her [clothes](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.polyvore.com/untitled_20/set?id=223849863).  _Well, I know the country. It’s time to get to know the man._

On the outside, [Tino](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.polyvore.com/untitled_21/set?id=223863037) remained his calm demeanor and held his usual gentle smile as he waited patiently for Alfred to answer the door. On the inside, however, he was abuzz with excitement and nerves. Long ago, he had resigned himself to remain in his platonic relationship with Sweden. He hadn’t considered being in a relationship with anyone else for a very long time.

And now, all of a sudden, there wasn’t just a possibility, he had a  _soulmate_. Someone, the only one really, he could truly be with. He could have an  _actual_  relationship.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door was opened to reveal a cheerful Alfred. “Hey, Finny dude! How was the trip?” He stood aside to allow Tino to walk in. Tino smiled gratefully. “Long, but worth it.” They made their way to the living room where Mara was waiting. “You excited?” Al asked with a chuckle. Tino laughed, trying to conceal just  _how_ excited he really was. “I think anyone would.” Thankfully they had reached the living room, stopping Alfred from prying any deeper.   _Wow. She is beautiful…_  He had been too caught up in the fact that she had been injured to really notice, but now that she was well on the road to recovery, he couldn’t help but see  _her._  Long, wavy dark brown hair, emerald green eyes with flecks of gold and rimmed with brown that were locked on to him and the slight curl of her lips as she gave him a small smile. He froze for a second, barely able to believe his luck. 

 

Mara stopped a few feet away from him and stuck out her hand. “We barely got a chance to introduce ourselves last time. It’s good to see you again, Tino.” He smiled gently in return and covered her hand with both of his. “It is good to see you, Mara. How have you been?” Once he got past his own excitement, he could tell she was more than a little nervous, no matter how well she was hiding it. His entire mission then became to get her to calm down and relax.

 

Mara had fully expected him to hug her immediately, judging on his cheerful disposition. However, he remained a good few feet away and offered only a gentle smile and softly spoken words. Mara couldn’t help but feel grateful. She needed time to get to know him before she would feel comfortable letting him hug her and be close to her. Thankfully, he seemed to realize that.

“Are you ready to go?” Mara looked at Alfred, who slightly resembled an abandoned puppy. He smiled sadly at her and nodded. “I’m fine dudett. You go ahead.” He looked at Tino. “Would it be ok if I visit soon?” Tino grinned and nodded. “Of course. You are always welcome. And I feel like we will be visiting you often as well.” Both Alfred and Mara smiled gratefully. They had become close in the three weeks they lived together. They thought of each other almost as brother and sister. Alfred looked at the two of them. “You guys look good together. You look like a cute couple.” Both Tino and Mara blushed slightly at that. “I’m not cute,” Mara grumbled. Tino held back a chuckle.  _Yes, you are._

 

On the ride to the airport, Tino had tried to ask questions to get Mara to open up about herself. He quickly discovered how guarded she was about her past. Although he  _was_ curious about it, he decided not to push.  _I have forever to get to know her. I don’t need her whole life story in five minutes._  Being the good judge of character he was and having the ability to read people, Tino could somewhat tell her past probably wasn’t the best. It was obvious in the way she visibly tensed every time he approached the subject of her family. He could understand why she would be so guarded. His own history was… let’s just say it wasn’t the best either.

Shaking himself from his own self-reflection, Tino started to think of ways for them to get more relaxed around each other. After a few minutes, Tino perked up and smiled. “Um, Mara?” She had been staring out of the window, seemingly deep in thought. She was startled from wherever her mind was at and quickly turned to him. “Huh? Oh yes?” “I was just thinking, um, I mean, I figured that since you  _are_  leaving your home country to live with me on the other side of the world, that maybe there was someplace you would want to go? Or people you would want to see? I don’t really have much happening for the next few days, so it wouldn’t be a problem.” Mara simply stared at him, shock evident on her face. “Really? That’s weird… Not that I’m not grateful! There is someplace, actually. It’s just weird because that was just what I was thinking about. I was trying to figure out how to ask you.” Tino placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You can ask me anything, talk to me about anything. I’m always here to listen and I won’t judge.” He chuckled to himself. “You would be surprised what I hear people asking for.” Mara looked even more confused. He cleared his throat. “Never mind, I’ll tell you later. But I meant what I said.” There was no way around it, Mara was touched by his words. She wasn’t the type of person to rely on anyone. She had always had to handle things herself. The idea of relying on someone for anything, especially someone she barely knew, was laughable to her not long ago. But Tino was the first person she could actually see possibly trusting enough to do just that. It was hard not to start trusting him when everything about him radiated a gentle strength, a sort of calm. “I uh, I’m not really the best at this stuff, but thank you. I don’t think you know how much that means to me.”

Tino then saw the first true smile he saw from her. It was small, sure, but he could see the happiness in her eyes.  _She denied it before, but she really is so adorable!_  He contained himself to reaching for her hand, giving it a small squeeze before letting go. “I’m happy to make you happy rakas.” (Beloved one)

 

Mara was left in a whirlwind of emotions, ones she couldn’t really identify. The only ones she has had to deal with were loneliness, anger, grief, and fear. These new ones, they were like happiness, but… more.

All she knew that the longer she was with him, the more they seemed to wrap themselves around her in a blanket of comforting warmth. 

For the first time, she could remember, Mara started to feel hopeful about her future.

 _I could get used to this. Whatever the hell_ this _is._


	21. Russia's Route Chapter 1

Mara didn’t recognize the face she saw at all.  _Did I meet him? He really doesn’t look familiar._ He looked nice enough. He had violet eyes, pale blond hair and a cheerful smile. “I uh, I don’t know who this is.” “Let me look.” Al all but pushed her out of the way so he could see. His reaction wasn’t what she was expecting. First, he paled, then pure anger seemed to take over. “No. FUCK no!” “Whoa, Alfred, what’s wrong? Who did she get?” “ _Russia_ ” Alfred spat the name out like it was poison in his mouth. Arthur also paled slightly. “No. What were they thinking? Pairing Mara up with  _him?”_  By this point, Mara was both freaking out and pissed off. Was her soulmate really that bad? But on the other hand, a protective voice she forgot she had spoke up from inside her.  _Who the hell do they think they are, talking about my soulmate like that?!_ Al turned to her. “I won’t let him take you away! All he will do is hurt you! You can stay here, with me. I won’t put you through that.” Mara raised her hand up, motioning him to stop. She sat in silence for a minute, trying to piece together her thoughts. “I appreciate the offer, but it is ultimately  _my_  decision. Give me time to think, and then I’ll tell you what I decide to do.” Without waiting for a reply, Mara turned and walked into her room, closing the door behind her.

 

Back in the living room, Arthur was trying to reassure a fuming Alfred. “I don’t quite understand it myself, but the Higher Powers made them a match for a reason. They know what they are doing. Who knows, maybe she is the one who will change him.” Alfred’s scowl only deepened. “I doubt it. He has been that fucked up for too long. It’s who he is now. Besides, Mara is  _American_. What if he ends up using her to get back at me? And you can’t tell me that’s impossible. That is  _exactly_  something that bastard would do.” Arthur sighed and sat next to him on the couch. “I know neither of you really like each other, but you have to remember, this isn’t about  _you_ , it’s about Mara. Whether you like it or not, she is Ivan’s perfect match.” Al opened his mouth to retort, but Arthur quickly cut him off. “I know, I’m no better. However, even you have to admit, he isn’t as bad as he used to be. He is still terrifying, but he  _has_  calmed down, just a little. At least he isn’t as bad as he was during the Soviet Union.” Alfred slumped into the couch and let out a loud sigh. “I guess. I just… I don’t know, I’m just worried for her. But maybe you’re right. Maybe I am making this about me.”  “It’s going to be ok, Alfred. Besides, if anything  _does_ happen, which it probably won’t, not only can she take care of herself, but we have a few friends nearby that would be more than willing to help.” Alfred was sated, but just barely. “I know, I know. I guess we will just have to wait for Mara to make up her mind.”

 

Mara sat at her desk, staring intently at the white surface. She was absolutely still, the only sign of life being the subtle rising and falling of her chest. But inwardly, it was chaos. She had been hesitant about the whole idea of having a soulmate, but curious enough to go along with it. But now… Hell, she didn’t even know the guy, but Al’s reaction was enough to make her want to never go near him. 

_How fair is that? I’ve already decided before I’ve given him a chance._

_But could I really chance it? I may not know him, but Al sure does. Perhaps I should just do as he says and steer clear._

_But then, I’m not just deciding my fate, am I? If I decide not to go through with this, then I’m forcing him to live out his life without his soulmate, me._

_Arthur did say that those ‘Higher Power’ people are pretty much all knowing and they paired me up with him for a reason. So maybe…_

_Maybe I should give him a chance. Who knows, this might just be the best decision of my life._

_Or my biggest mistake._

_But I’ll never know if I don’t take that first step._

 

 

Ivan was woken from his deep sleep by the very annoying ring of his phone. He grunted in annoyance, grabbed his phone and saw who was calling him, then almost threw his phone against the wall. The only thing that stopped him was that he really didn’t want to have to get  _another_ new phone. He answered the phone without bothering to hide the anger in his voice from being woken up in the middle of the night. “Какого черта ты хочешь, Америка?” (What the hell do you want, America?)  Ivan felt his lip twitch in the semblance of a smile when he could practically  _hear_  the other man scowling. Being the hub of tourism and immigration he was, Alfred had no problem understanding what Ivan said. Ivan also knew that it got under his skin when he spoke Russian. So naturally, he did it whenever possible.

“Let’s keep this in English, ok? I am in no mood to translate right now.”  “Сегодня утром. Как вы думаете, я в лучшем настроении переводить?” (It is one in the morning over here. Do you think I am in any better mood to translate?)

Normally, playing with Alfred would bring him joy, but Ivan really didn’t like being woken up so this caused his tone to turn into a slight growl.

Al sighed. “Look, I’m not going to fight with you on this again. I just called to give you some news.”

“И какие новости?” (And what news would that be?)

There was a pause on the other line, then Al took a deep breath before answering.

Whatever news this was, Alfred clearly didn’t like giving it.

“I’m not sure if anyone told you, but a few weeks ago, we found the woman Arthur lost.” 

“Да, сожительница. Я слышал.” (Yes, the soulmate. I heard.)

“Well, what have you heard?”  “Ничего особенного. Просто она Была найдена на улице и отбила некоторых нападавших.” (Nothing much. Just that she was found on the street and she fought off some attackers.)

“Well, that about sums it up.”

“Это все?” (Was that all?) He doubted it. Alfred never called him unless he had no choice.

“Uh, no. there’s more.” Ahh, he was right. Although he couldn’t imagine what else to the story there was.

“Arthur came by yesterday to help Mara find out who her soulmate is.”  Now Ivan prided himself on his ability to gather intelligence, but even he had no idea why Alfred would be calling him about this. 

_Ahh, perhaps he is calling to tell me he is the soulmate and is simply rubbing it in my face. Yes, that does seem like the more likely option._

“В чем ваш Смысл? Почему ты говоришь мне это?” (What’s your point? Why are you telling me this?)

Another loud sigh. “She... Goddamnit, she got you.”

Ivan froze.  _What? Me? I have a soulmate? No, that can’t be possible. This must all be some joke._

Ivan responded, anger clearly evident in his voice.  He even spoke in English, just to make sure Alfred got the message. “Do you think this is funny? Some kind of joke? You thought you would make fun of me, yes? Well, I am much smarter than that, little Alfred. You can’t fool me!”

Alfred cut him off before Ivan could go any further. “It’s not a fucking joke! Goddamnit, I wish it was, but she really is your soulmate. And for some fucking reason, she said she wanted to go ahead with it.”

 _He is serious… I have a soulmate. And she_ wants _to be with me?_  He was so lost in thought, he almost missed what Alfred said next. “And one more thing, if you treat her badly, if I even get a  _hint_  of her being mistreated, I will come after you with everything I got, and don’t think I’ll be the only one either.”

Ivan understood. Although he doubted Alfred’s government would allow him to start a war, the personifications didn’t always need armies to tear each other apart.

“Это пустая угроза. Вы никогда не смогли бы победить меня. Но не волнуйся, Она придет не навредить мне.” (That is an empty threat. You could never beat me. But do not worry, she will come to no harm under my care.)

Alfred chose to ignore his taunting for once. “She better not. You can come by to pick her up in two days.” “Да я буду там.” (Yes, I will be there.)

“Good.” With that, Alfred hung up, leaving Ivan alone with his thoughts. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He actually had a soulmate, something that just a few months ago, he didn’t even know existed. Even after he got the news with the rest of them, he didn’t really give it much thought. He had been alone all this time, he had managed to survive alone. Why would he want anyone in his life to mess things up? Besides, no one had ever wanted to be with his before.  He had only reached out for a relationship a few times before. He had hardly ever found someone who he thought he could trust. But either they ran the moment he expressed interest, or they had been too afraid to say no. It became obvious quickly that they really didn’t love him.  He hadn’t even thought about a relationship in several decades. What was the point? Clearly, he was unlovable.

 _No, that is not true. There is one who loves me. Although sometimes I wish she didn’t love as much as she does._ That was when he remembered. He would have to call his younger sister. She had clearly expressed her desire to marry him, no matter how many times he had to turn her down. He really did love his little sister, but just  _as_  a sister. She was the only person that ever wanted to stay by his side and he never wanted to ruin that. He hoped this would go well.

 

( **A/N**  They would be speaking in their respective languages, but I will be writing it in English.

 

Ivan couldn’t help but smile a little at his sister’s greeting. “Ivan! It is good to hear from you, is everything ok?”

“Yes, Nata, Everything is fine. How are doing?”  She sighed, he could hear her weariness in her voice. Like him, she never was one to show her true feelings to others. They were the exception to each other though. “Things are difficult sometimes, but I know I can handle it.” Ivan had to smile again. “Yes, I know you can. You are very strong Nata.” “Did you call to just give me compliments? Not that I mind.” He chuckled. “No, I have some news to tell you, and I hope you can take it well.” She was silent for a minute. “What kind of news?” He cleared his throat. “Well, I got a call from America earlier and he told me something… Interesting to say the least.” “What did he say?” “He told me of the girl they found a few weeks ago, remember? She is the one England saw in the spell.” Yes, I remember. Why did he call you about it?” He could hear the edge in her voice. He could tell she was starting to get where this was going. “It turns out I am her soulmate.” There was a long silence on the other end. Ivan knew better than to interrupt her while she was thinking.

 

On the other line, Natalia was in a state of shock. Like her brother, she had never considered the possibility of him having a soulmate.

It was supposed to be  _her, she_  was supposed to be the one to stay by Ivan side and take care of him. She had gotten tired of seeing him alone, so long ago she decided the only way to fix that would be to marry him. No one else could treat him right, ever  _had_ treated him right. The only way she could make sure he could be happy would be if he was with her.

 _But this new development. This soulmate… would she really be able to make him happy? Or would she run away like the others?_  She wanted to tell him to stay away from this new girl, to stay with her, she would take care of him. But she also knew he never would. He loved her, yes, but she knew he would never choose her over his soulmate. Despite his appearance and demeanor, Ivan never really did give up on the idea of love completely. He could lie to others, he could even lie to himself, but he couldn’t lie to her. He was lonely, and he hated being lonely.

_Who am I to keep him from trying? How could I claim to love him if what I did made him miserable?_

 

After a while, Ivan heard his sister take a deep breath.

“Would this make you happy, Ivan?”

He had to think. Would he be happy? Finally, it hit him. He would have a relationship. Someone to be there when he got home, someone to laugh with him, to calm him, to eat with him, someone he could hold at night.

“Yes, Nata. It would.”

She sighed again. “Then I won’t stand in your way. I just want you to be happy. You know that, right?”

“I know, Nata. Thank you.”

“I love you, Ivan.”

“I love you too, little sister.”

 

 

Two days later

 

[Mara](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.polyvore.com/untitled_24/set?id=225036296) sat calmly in the living room waiting for Ivan’s arrival. She had taken the last two days to think things through and come to peace with everything. She figured there was no harm in seeing if she could make things work with Ivan, even though they didn’t know each other. If he was her soulmate than they were each other’s only real chance at true happiness.

Alfred, on the other hand, sat next to her, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He clearly wasn’t happy with the situation. She had also made him call Ivan back to see if he would be able to take her to her Grandparent’s house before they left. Alfred had come back, clearly pissed. She had thought Ivan had said no, but apparently, he had agreed almost immediately. And for some reason, that pissed Al off. While Mara was upset that Alfred couldn’t be happy for her, she wasn’t going to let that stop her. After all, the only reason she had to spend the last six months on the street was that she was his soulmate (that and Arthur was a magic spaz). And if she just gave up now, all of that hardship would have been for nothing.

 

After what seemed like forever, there was a knock at the door, presumably Ivan. When Al didn’t get up to answer the door, she turned to look at him. He was still scowling. Mara sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll get it.”

She rose from the couch and made her way to the front door. She reached for to open it, pausing as her hand touched the handle. She took a deep breath and forced herself to turn the handle.

As soon as the door opened, instead of seeing a face, she saw a broad chest. She looked up… and up, until she saw his face.  _Holy shit, this[guy](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.polyvore.com/untitled_23/set?id=225035926) is tall._  He was smiling, and if she looked hard enough, she could see the nerves behind it. She offered a nervous smile of her own. “I take it you’re Ivan?” “Yes, and you are Mara?” He replied in a deeply accented voice that for some reason caused her heart to speed up for a few seconds. “Yes, um, would you like to come in?”  She stood to the side to make room for him to walk past. He only stood there staring at her.  _He almost looks scared…_  Her smile went from nervous to gentle. “It’s ok, I won’t bite.”  He cocked his head. “You are not scared of me?” Her heart broke a little and the surprise in his voice.  _Maybe he is just as unused to kind people as me._  “No, should I be?” He quickly shook his head. “No, never.” She smiled again. “Good. Then won’t you come in while I get my things? Then we can go.” He offered a small smile and inched his way past her. Once he was fully inside, Mara shut the door behind him. “Ok, I’ll go get my things. Al’s in the living room. I’ll be right back.

 

She walked back into the living room and Al jumped up. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?” Mara rolled her eyes. “I’m fine Al. No, he didn’t hurt me. He is waiting by the front.” He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Are you sure you want to go through with this? I promise, you can change your mind right now, I can get him to leave and you can stay here with me.” Mara smiled but shook her head. “Thanks, Al. But I’m sure. I really want to do this.” He stared at her for a few moments before letting her go. “Alright then. I’ll stop bugging you about it.” Mara walked past him, gently squeezing his arm as she passed him. After she had returned with her things, she stopped in front of him. “Thank you for everything, Al. I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t take me in.  I guess I owe you my life.” He pulled her into a hug. “No, you don’t owe me anything.” He held her tighter to him. “I’m going to miss you.” She smiled and gently pushed him away. “I’m going to miss you too, Al.” Before she could get too emotional, she turned, waved behind her, and walked away from him towards his longs standing rival. Her soulmate.

 

Mara walked up to Ivan with a smile. “Sorry it took so long. I had to say goodbye to Al.” He smiled back and nodded. “You are ready to go then?” She nodded. “Yep!” He reached over and took her suitcase from her, making the already small suitcase look even smaller in his large hands. His other hand reached out for her. “Then should we get going now подсолнух?” (Sunflower) She stared at his hand. Suddenly it felt like she was at a point of no return. Like she was standing at the edge of a cliff and taking his hand meant leaping into the unknown abyss below. There would be no going back after this.

She took a breath to steady herself.

And took his hand. 


	22. Japan's Route Chapter 1

The face she saw in the water was one that she recognized, but if you had asked her anything other than his name, she wouldn’t be able to answer. The small Japanese man seemed nice enough with his standard facial expressions being either neutral or a polite smile. They spoke briefly while he was there, it was mainly him asking if she needed anything and polite small talk. In fact, she noticed him do the same thing with pretty much everyone he talked to. Smile, nod, polite conversation. She only noticed him to be relaxed enough to let out a small chuckled when he was talking to either Ludwig or Feli. He seemed nice enough, but he definitely likes to keep his distance.  _I guess I can respect that, everyone has their boundaries. It might make it hard to get to know him, though._

A small cough and some fidgeting pulled her from her thoughts. She looked up to see both Alfred and Arthur looking at her expectantly. “Sorry, I got lost in thought. I got Kiku.”   Alfred grinned immediately while Arthur seemed to think about it first before smiling himself. “This may actually be a pretty good match. If everything goes right, you two may just be what the other needs.” “What do you mean?” Alfred interjected. “He’s practically a hermit. I mean, he isn’t  _nearly_  as bad as he used to be, trust me.” Arthur rolled his eyes. “Just because he isn’t nosy like  _some people_  doesn’t make him a hermit. He keeps to himself, sure. And he  _is_  a bit quiet and reserved, but he does get out from time to time. Plus, his people have been producing some worldwide popular stuff. Stuff even  _you_  like, Alfred.” Alfred had to give him that one. “Ok, yeah. That’s true.” He stood and grabbed his phone from the side table. “I’ll give him a call and tell him the good news.” “Wait!” He turned back towards Mara. “Um, while you’re on the phone with him, could you see if he would be ok with a small pit stop?” Alfred cocked his head a little. “Where to?”

 

Japan answered the phone with a mild sense of surprise. “Kon'nichiwa (Hello) Alfred-san. Have you finished the video game I lent you?” “Hey, Dude! Yeah, just about. Do you have another one I can borrow?” “Hai, this time it is a horror game. Would that be ok?” “Oh, really? O-of course that should be ok! Nothing can scare me!” Kiku felt his lips twitch in a small smile. Despite the confident words, Alfred’s reply sounded a little shaky. “I also have an action game with a heroic main character who has superpowers. Would that be more acceptable Alfred-san?” “SUPER HEROS?! Hell yeah, man!  That is totally my thing!” This time Kiku had to stifle a small chuckle. “Then I will send it over soon. Is that all you needed to talk about?” “OH! I almost forgot! I didn’t call about video games, I actually had something more important to ask you.” Now Kiku was confused. He didn’t think anything was more important to the American man than video games. Well, maybe food. “What seems to be the problem Alfred-san?”

“Oh, no problem at all! It’s actually good news.” Kiku relaxed a bit. Good news was better than he was expecting. “In that case, what is the good news?” “Do you remember Mara?” He definitely remembered her. Although she looked weak and frail when he saw her, the story of her fighting off her own attackers, in spite of her illness, was one to admire, and he always admired people with that kind of spirit. It didn’t hurt that she was kind of pretty…

“Hai, I remember. How is she?” “She’s just fine. Still a little weak, but much better than she was. But that’s not the good news. Arthur swung by earlier to help her find out who her soulmate is.”

Kiku felt the world halt around him. While him and had pretty good relations these days, he rarely called him unless he needed anything, and he never called about something that didn’t affect him. There was only one reason why Alfred would be calling him about this. “And what was the result?” He decided it was better not to assume, although he was sure he had come to the right conclusion. “You, dude! You’re her soulmate!” Kiku was silent for a few moments. He had never thought that  _he_ would be the one. Honestly, he had been skeptical of the whole soulmate thing from the beginning. Perhaps it was that he just didn’t want to accept that he  _could_  have a real relationship, after all these centuries of being alone. But now that reality was thrust upon him.

He pulled himself from his thoughts, realizing Alfred was still on the phone. “Thank you for the information, Alfred-san. I will call my boss and arrange some time off so I will be able to pick her up from your place and bring her here.” “Sounds good buddy. Hey! Before I forget, she asked me to ask you if there was a chance of you guys making a pit stop before going to Japan. She said she wanted to spend some time at her Grandparent’s place before she left.” Kiku had to consider it. He really didn’t like taking time off in general, and he had only planned on asking his boss for a few days. Just long enough to fly there and back, maybe one more day to spend with her after she got here. But he also could understand wanting to say goodbye to family before leaving the country. “Yes, that should be fine.” Alfred let out a sigh of relief. He knew how important work was to him, so he figured the chances of getting him to take more time off were slim. “Cool that will make her happy. So I’ll see you I a few days?”  “Yes, I will be there as soon as I can.”

After he hung up, Kiku sat in silence. Something he often did, but usually, he was working, reading, or drawing while he did it. This time all he could manage was to just sit and think. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and conflicting emotions. On one hand, the idea of an actual soulmate thrilled him. Who wouldn’t love the idea of finding the one person in the world that was a perfect match for you? The person that fate had paired you with. On the other hand, Kiku was a very privet person. He hasn’t even considered entering into a relationship in a very long time. What was the point if the only two choices were to watch them grow old and die or breaking it off before his lack of aging became too noticeable? He had accepted his fate a long time ago. Or at least, what he thought his fate was. Now he has a chance to be with someone, the only person who would be able to stay by his side. There was always the choice of being with another country, but they rarely did that unless their governments were entering an alliance or forming a union. Although the Personifications were able to act upon their own free will to some degree, if their bosses declared war on each other, they would have no choice but to fight. So to save the heartbreak, and their own sanity, inter-country relationships, at least serious ones, were an unspoken taboo.

He sat there for what felt like forever, trying to decide if he felt excited or nervous. The possibilities both thrilled and terrified him. Never again would he have to be alone. But he was also being thrust into a relationship much faster than he was comfortable with.   _Who am I to be picky? This is a gift, no matter the way it’s presented._ He took a breath to steady himself.  _I will just have to take this one step at a time._  He decided to take the first step, calling his boss.

 

 A few days later, Mara was trying to sit patiently in the living room for Kiku’s arrival. Her fidgeting hands gave away her anxiety though. She kept running what Alfred had tried to teach her in her what he knew about Japanese customs and culture in her head. While he was able to admit he was no expert, he did learn a little from hanging around Kiku for a while. She really hoped she did things right. She really didn’t want her first real impression with her soulmate to be when she accidentally insults r offends him.

Mara just about leaped from her seat when the doorbell rand.  _Oh my god, he’s here. Shit, what do I do? Do I look ok? Should I stand now, or wait until he comes in. I think I should stand now._

Alfred had already left to answer the door, laughing o himself at Mara’s obvious internal freak-out, knowing Kiku was probably doing the same thing.  

Mara had just gotten her heart to calm down when she saw Alfred reenter the room with Kiku.

They locked eyes and Mara felt an odd mixture of increased anxiety and relief. Because  _oh my god, he’s actually here_  and  _oh my god, he is finally here._  As he approached her, another internal battle inside.  _Bow or shake hands, bow or shake hands. If I shake hands and he bows, will that just make me look ignorant? What if I bow but he goes for a hand shake because he thinks I will shake hands because I’m a westerner?_ Thankfully, her choice was made for her when he reached out his hand to shake with a small, polite smile. Mara smiled gratefully and reached out to shake his hand. He did do a small half bow while they shook hands, which she quickly copied.  _Ok, I guess we will meet in the middle. That works._

Mara cleared her throat and spoke first to try and at least act like she was completely comfortable with all of this. “It’s, uh, It’s good to see you again Kik- I mean Honda. Sorry, I almost forgot.” She laughed nervously, but internally she was kicking herself.  _Stupid! How could you do that? That was like, lesson number one! Wait, wasn’t lesson two about honorifics? Shit, should I have used one? Which one? Fuck, what if I just offended him because I didn’t use one?!_

Meanwhile, Kiku couldn’t help but be a little touched that she had taken the time to learn and try to accommodate his own culture. Most of the westerner’s he came in contact with didn’t. It actually meant a lot to him that she was so worried about it.  He smiled back, this time one with a bit more warmth in it.

“It is fine, I know that isn’t your culture. How about we compromise? You can call me Kiku if I can use honorifics with your name, would that be ok?” He was surprised he was ok with allowing her that level of informality, but he had to take into account that she was about to move to the other side of the world, to a country she knew little about, with very little notice. He figured her were going to have to be a lot of compromises at first.

Mara looked a little shocked at first, then smiled gratefully. “That sounds perfect.” “Then it is good to see you too Mara-san.”

 

After a quick goodbye to Alfred, the new couple were in a car and on their way to the airport. After a few minutes of painfully awkward silence, Mara tried to break it. “I never got to thank you, but thank you for taking the time so I can visit my Grandparent’s place. It uh, it really means a lot.” She glanced over at him with a smile, but quickly looked away because  _what if he thought I was staring at him or something?_  She had always been insecure to some degree, but this was ridiculous. All it seemed she could do was obsess whether or not she was acting or saying something weird.

He glanced back at her with a smile of his own. “While I am usually against taking a lot of time off, I understand wanting to say goodbye to family. But I also want you to know that we can come back to visit, I will not force you to abandon your family.” Mara paused. “Did Alfred not tell you?” “Tell me what Mara-san?”  Mara shifted uncomfortably. It would be just like Alfred to leave a detail like that out. “Um, my grandparents are dead. I was going back to the property because that is where they are buried.” They was another stretch of awkward silence. “I am so sorry, Mara, san. I did not know, if I did, I would not have brought it up like that.” Mara looked over at him. She could tell he was good at hiding his emotions, but she could tell he was distressed over it. “It's fine, you didn’t know. It was years ago anyway. They just lived so far away from me, that I never really got to say goodbye. This way I will be able to.”

He was happy he didn’t offend her, but now he was unsure what to do. Would she expect him to comfort her in some way? Talking about dead relatives was never easy. But he really didn’t feel comfortable with getting too close to her just yet, they did just meet. He managed to catch her eye and tried to offer a reassuring smile. “I am glad to give you that opportunity then. Please take as much time as you need.” Mara could tell he wasn’t a very touchy-feely person, and honestly, neither was she. Or at least, she didn’t think she was. She was never really given the opportunity to find out. Plus, that smile seemed so much more sincere than the one he usually used, so it was touching all the same.

 

The rest of the drive was spent in a not-as-awkward-but-still kind of awkward- silence. She was starting to wonder if he really wanted to go through with this or was just being polite. He really did seemed nice, and she had to admit he was pretty cute. But she had to wonder if he was so nice that he would go through with this whole soulmate thing just so he didn’t hurt her feelings. She really hoped that wasn’t the case.   And even if it wasn’t, getting to know each other while she also tried to learn his culture was going to be an uphill battle.

  _This is my only chance at a healthy relationship. Hell, my_ first  _healthy relationship. It won’t be easy and there are sure to be obstacles_.

She looked over at Kiku and felt a tug at her heart.

  _But for him? It’s definitely worth it._


	23. Turkey's Route Chapter 1

Mara anxiously waited for the image to clear up. The fact that she was mere seconds away from seeing the person she was destined to love, the one person who could make her the happiest, made her head spin and heart beat loudly in her chest. The implications running through her head were nerve wrecking, to say the least. After what seemed like an eternity, the image finally came into focus.

“Is that… a mask?”

Arthur and Alfred gave each other a knowing look. “Turkey.” They said in unison.

Mara stared at the image curiously. Once she managed to tear her eyes away from the mask, she tried to make out what little facial features were left. Short-ish brown hair, dark tanned skin, a fair amount of stubble in his chin. Wait a minute…

“Isn’t he the guy that was always fighting with the cat guy? Loudly?”

Alfred rolled his eyes. “Yeah, they do that a lot. They fight constantly like cats and dogs. Pun intended.”

Mara worriedly chewed at her bottom lip. So he was confrontational. She was really hoping to get away from all that. She has had enough of people shouting and yelling. 

By the time she managed to shake herself from her thoughts, Arthur had packed up his things and was getting ready to go.

“Don’t worry dear, he was chosen for you by the Higher Powers. They are as close to being All-Knowing as any creature in any dimension can ever be. They paired you up for a reason. Have faith.”

It took Mara all of her willpower to not roll her eyes.  _Yeah ok, faith in these invisible beings that only you have talked to. Sure._  “I’ll try.” She said with what she hoped was a convincing smile. Once he had gone, that smile vanished. Alfred came up beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry Dudett, I don’t really believe in them either. It wasn’t until we found you that I started believing in his ‘magic’.” Mara let out a sigh of relief. “It’s weird, right? I mean, I know he isn’t lying, it’s just that the idea of all-powerful beings suddenly taking interest in the love lives of people from a different dimension all of a sudden is kind of crazy, right?” Alfred let out a short laugh. “To say the least. But you have to admit, the magic is real, at least. So the other junk might just be real too. Might.”

Mara had to give him that one. “Yeah, I guess. So what now?”

Al thought for a few moments. “I haven’t really had to deal with him before, so I don’t have his number saved. I’ll have to make a few calls.” He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts as he walked away, leaving Mara to her thoughts.

 

Sadiq was sleeping peacefully in his bed, images of a large table of food and lively dance music filling his dreams when the loud vibrating of his phone on the nightstand pulled him from his happy dreams.

He tried to ignore it. No matter what time it was, it was too early for anything. He rolled over and pulled the covers over his head to try and block out the sound. It almost worked, until his phone vibrated itself right off the nightstand and landed on the floor with a loud clatter.  With a frustrated groan, Sadiq reluctantly rolled over to the side of the bed and reached down to get his phone. With a quick glance at the screen, he discovered two things. One, it was one am. Two, if he was going to make a habit of calling him this early, he might just have to block America’s phone number.

He answered in a low and cracked voice. “Evet, ne istiyorsun?” (yeah, what do you want?) 

“Wow, you sound like shit dude, you ok?”  Sadiq flopped back down on his pillows, ran a tired hand over his face and tried to find the words he wanted in English. “Yeah, it’s One am here. I’m just tired. Is something the matter? You never call me.” 

“Shit, it is? Sorry. I forgot about the time difference. But no, nothing is  _wrong..._ ”

Sadiq waited for Alfred to continue, but the other nation remained silent.

“So then why are you calling me?”

He could hear nervous laughter on the other end.

“Well, you remember Mara, right? The girl I found a few weeks back? You know, the soulmate?”

“Yes, I remember. That isn’t something someone easily forgets.”  

If Sadiq had been more awake, he could have probably seen where this was going, but he wasn’t. It was one am and he was having a hard time seeing why Alfred was calling him about her when they never really talked much in the first place.

When he answered, whatever had been making Alfred nervous had apparently gone because his reply was a quick flurry of excitement. “Well, Arthur came by today, totally unannounced, and offered to help Mara find her soulmate. She obviously agreed and they did this water thing and she saw you.”

It took Sadiq several moments to decipher what he had actually said, and then he was still confused.

“What do you mean she ‘saw’ me?”

Alfred sighed in annoyance. “She SAW you dude! In the water! You’re her soulmate!”

It took a few more moments for the information to travel through his sleep-addled brain, but when it did, he shot up in his bed, all grogginess instantly swept away.

“I’m what?!” “HER. SOULMATE. Damn, are hard of hearing or something?”

Sadiq barely heard the flippant remark, only one word traveled around and around in his mind.

_Soulmate. Soulmate. Soulmate. I have a soulmate. Soulmate._

“Uhh, dude? You good over there?”

“Y-yeah. Uh, good. Wow.”

He let out a loud whoop and punched the air above him with a fist.

“All right! I found my soulmate! Before that cat freak too!”

Suddenly, he had a million thing running through his head.

“Is she excited? How soon can I pick her up? Does she like flowers? What are her favorite foods?  Does she like dancing? Would you say she was a weird cat person like that freak Heracles?”

“Woah, Woah, dude, calm down! If you want to get to know her, ask her yourself. You can come by whenever you want, ok?”

Sadiq forced himself to take a deep breath and calm himself.

“Ok, I’ll be there in…two days.”

“Alright dude, see you soon.”

 

Sadiq ended the call and flopped back down on his pillows with a happy sigh. This… he hadn’t even dared to hope something like this would happen. Even when they all found out that they each had a soulmate, it hadn’t seemed real to him. It wasn’t until they found her,  _Mara_ , that the reality of it all had hit him. There were such things as  _soulmates,_ and he had one. Even then, he hadn’t considered the possibility that Mara could have been his. What were the odds of that, right?

Well, pretty good, it turns out.

Because now here he was, laying in bed and now faced with the knowledge that in just two days, he was going to see his soulmate again and from then on spend the rest of his life with her.

 

One would think that after being alive as long as he had, Sadiq would no longer be susceptible to mind-blowing thoughts of his long and seemingly indefinite future and for the most part, you would be right.

But throw a relationship into the mix, and suddenly his head was spinning and the concept of eternity was impossible to visualize.

Sadiq’s near immortality had both hardened him  _and_ softened him to the idea of love and marriage.

He had fallen in love many times, most of them had. It was impossible to live for centuries or even millennia and not have your heart stolen now and then. In his younger years, before time had taught him what he knew now, he is eyes would fall on a beautiful woman and his heart skipped, he would get lost in her eyes and get swept up in her smile. Every time, he would forget for a blissful while that he was a country, that he had been around hundreds of years before he met her and he would be around long after she was gone. For a while, he was just a man caught up on a woman.

But every time, those butterflies in their stomachs would fade and the joy would drain away as they would get older and start to question how he always looked so young. For his sake and the sake of his people, he would then have to leave her before she discovered the truth. He could only watch from afar as they got older, their smooth skin changing into wrinkles. All of them still beautiful in his eyes.

 

Now being as old as he was, he had the splitting desire stay as far away from love as possible yet dying to feel it once more.

Until now, the only way it would end was heartbreak.

But now, now he has a soulmate. Now he has  _Mara._  If they managed to fall in love, and if he kissed her, they could have a true relationship. Their lives would be bound together and he wouldn’t have to watch her grow old without him.

His mind was a buzz of excitement and nerves. It has been a long time since he had felt this way.  Each country had found something to occupy their time, something that made them feel alive. America had his video games, Japan created Manga in his free time, the cat freak had…napping? Sadiq had dancing and food. But neither of those had ever made him feel like this. Those were things to fill the hole of time. This, this made him feel hopeful, excited for the future.

 

Sadiq spent hours trying to get back to sleep, to no avail. As the first rays of sunlight started showing themselves through his curtains, he had given up on trying to get any sleep.

He stared up at the ceiling. It was too early to start making breakfast and his workload was surprisingly light for the day. What could he do to occupy his time until he could leave to go see Mara?

He suddenly grinned. He knew exactly what he could do. He reached for his phone and scrolled down until he found Heracles’ number. Bragging to that cat freak was always a good option.

 

Mara sat nervously in her room, dressed in comfortable traveling clothes and her packed suitcase sitting by the door. Today was the day Sadiq would arrive to take her to her new home. With one small pit stop along the way.  She had asked Alfred for Sadiq’s number yesterday so she could ask him if it was possible to stop at her Grandparent’s place before continuing back to his home. Their home. Where she would live with him. A man she didn’t really know. Before she could manage to send herself into  _another_ panic over the concept, Mara pulled out her phone and checked the time. Again. It was around the time that Al had said that Sadiq should arrive. Mara started tapping her foot like crazy. The anticipation was killing her.

Was Fate always right? What if they weren’t right for each other? How was she supposed to fall in love with a man she had only met once while she was halfway delirious? Now, because of some supernatural beings said so, she was supposed to start living with him?

Before she could calm herself down, she heard the muffled sound of the doorbell. She sighed and stood, nervously fixing her clothes before grabbing her suitcase and walking towards the living room.

 

When Alfred answered the loud knock at the door, Sadiq greeted  _him_  first, with a vigorous handshake and a heavy slap on the back.

“Good Morning friend!” Alfred shook it off with a large grin and welcomed him in.

“Hey dude! How was the trip?”

“Longer than normal.” Sadiq could barely contain his excitement as he scanned the living room as they walked in.

“Is she still getting ready?”

Alfred shrugged. “I guess. I’ll see.” He took in a large gasp of air, ready to shout at full volume when Mara came walking around the corner, suitcase in tow.

He let out his breath in an almost disappointed rush.

Sadiq however, felt like he was about to explode.

Whether he knew it or not, he had been waiting for her his entire life and holy shit, she was  _beautiful._

Never in his long life, all those hundreds of years, had he ever been drawn to a woman as he was to her.

She wore simple clothes, a dark red maxi skirt that was little more than a sheath of plain cloth and a loose black tank top. But the skirt’s fabric was thin and clung to her hips and thighs as she walked towards him. Her top was loose, but her hips were wide, and the fabric gathered on the bottom of her waist, drawing his eyes to her curves. Her hair was tied in a loose braid and a few loose strands fell around her face. He was completely captivated by her as she walked up to him, a shy smile on her lips.

It baffled him that he didn’t have this reaction the first time he saw her a few weeks ago. Then as she got closer, he spotted a cluster of fading yellow bruises on each arm and more just below her collarbone. His gut wrenched as the memory came back to him. He had been too busy standing back with the others as Yao and the Magic Trio tried desperately to save her life.

Her battered, limp body flashed across his mind and he felt sick at the image. She stopped a few paces away, still smiling as if she had never gone through a life or death situation just a brief time ago.

 

Mara did her best not to stare open-mouthed at the man waiting for her in the living room.

She knew her memory of that night was fuzzy but  _hot damn_  this guy was… just wow.

He was tall, taller than her at least, which had to be tall since she wasn’t exactly short.

That white mask was in place, but dark hazel eyes glittered behind it and it did nothing to  _mask_  the excitement written so clearly on his face.

(Author cackles at her own bad pun)

Mara felt her breath falter as she got closer. No one had looked at her the way he was. It was almost as if he was… _awed_  by her? She knew she wasn’t ugly, but she had never gotten  _that_  look before. The intensity of it made her fidget as she stood in front of him, suddenly very aware of her hands and having  _no_  idea what to do with them.

“Hey, there. It’s uh, it’s nice to see you again.” She said with as much confidence as she could muster but faltered when he grinned at her. She stretched out her hand for him to shake after a moment. She was waiting to see if he was going to almost tackle her into a hug like Alfred always did, but was pleasantly surprised when he stayed right where he was at, as if waiting for her to make the first move.

Apparently, her hand going out was what he was waiting for because he immediately grasped her hand in both of his. “It is wonderful to see you too, canim.” (dear) Then, under his breath, he added, “Çok güzelsin...” (You are so beautiful…)

Mara had heard him but didn’t understand what he had said. It only reminded her that she would have to become fluent in Turkish, on top of everything else she had to do.

As if sensing her nerves, he stepped away, still smiling until he spotted her tiny suitcase, then he frowned.  
“That is everything you have?” Despite making great lengths to improve his way of thinking with the times, he was still somewhat old fashioned and assumed that as a woman, she would have multiple bags and containers for her things.

Mara, however, frowned in confusion. She had everything she had needed to use up until this point. A few outfits, an extra pair of shoes, assorted underclothes, and toiletries. To be honest, this isn’t much less than what she had when she was living with her parents. “Yes, I haven’t needed anything else.”

He shook his head, still in disbelief she had so little. “It’s not about  _need_  canim…” He trailed off, then shook himself from whatever train of thought he was on. “No matter, I can get you whatever you want when we get home. After that stop you wanted to make, of course.” His tone wasn’t stern, but it was clear that was the end of the subject for him. She knew that the offer was kind, that he was just saying that he could take care of her, but the thought still made her somewhat uncomfortable.

She had always taken care of herself, by herself. Even when Michelle was still alive, she had always been independent. She knew that most women would be static that they landed a good-looking man with money to boot, but she couldn’t help herself from thinking that if she could just learn Turkish fast, then she could get her own job and make her own money. Then she could be able to take care of herself, financially at least.

She shook off her uneasiness and smiled. Without a word or even asking, he reached out to grab her suitcase and placed his other hand on her upper back, starting to lead her to the door.

 _He is obviously more old-fashioned than I thought._  Although she knew he didn’t mean anything by it, she felt a defiant streak rise and she stepped away from him, walking over to Alfred, who had his arms out for her. Physical contact still made her hesitant, but she walked into his arms to give a proper goodbye to the man who had helped save her life, then sheltered her without question for the last three weeks.

“I’m really going to miss you dudett.” He said softly, and he squeezed her tight. She smiled and squeezed back. “Yeah, I know. I’m going to miss you too.”

They both noticed the slight look of jealousy that took over Sadiq’s face. He only relaxed when he saw that she was the one that stepped away first. He knew that it was ridiculous to get jealous at this point of their relationship, especially of Alfred. Alfred had spent more time with her than he had, and on top of that Alfred was the personification of his country, which Mara was a citizen of. It was easy to see why they had gotten so close. Despite knowing that, Sadiq couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy that she had left his side to rush into another’s arms.

_Maybe it’s like what Kiku keeps telling me, I need to ‘get with the times’_

Sadiq shook off his jealousy by the time Mara walked back over to him.

“Now we can go.” She said with a smirk that both excited him and made him uneasy. He got the sudden feeling that getting her to fall in love with him wasn’t going to be easy _. And damn him if that didn’t endear her to him even more._

He thought as he walked out the door, following behind her as she had walked ahead, out of reach of any hands wanting to ‘lead’ her anywhere.


	24. America's Route Chapter 2

Once they were boarded on the plane, Alfred and Mara chatted away. It was mostly Alfred doing the chatting and Mara doing the listing, though. He was telling her of his exploits with this two friends Matthias and Gilbert. Mara was practically doubled over with laughter.  After around the umpteenth story, however, Mara’s eyes grew heavy and she stifled a yawn. She didn’t want to interrupt his story so she tried to stay awake. Yet after a few minutes, she drifted off to sleep.

Alfred noticed Mara had gotten quiet, so he looked over and saw she had fallen asleep sitting up. He smiled softly. He had known she was getting sleepy, but he kept telling his stories because he loved to hear her laugh. He noticed she didn’t do a lot of that…

She shifted in her seat they shared and her head ended up on his shoulder. He chuckled to himself and rested his head on hers and closed his eyes, enjoying the close contact.

The plane began its descent a little before sunrise. They had left New York after the sun had set and they had flown all night. Once the plane landed, Alfred picked up a still sleeping Mara so he didn’t have to wake her up. He walked them to the car waiting for them, set her down gently in the passenger seat and buckled her in. She had told him the address earlier, so he imputed it into the GPS and took off. He glanced at Mara and grinned. This was going to be fun.

Mara woke up squinting at the sun beating down on her face. She looked around and realized that she was in an unfamiliar car. She sat up quickly, heart going into overdrive. “What, how did I get here?” Alfred laughed. “Calm down babe, I carried you here from the plane. We should be at the house soon.” Mara’s heart steadied and she started to calm down. Then she realized, he just called her babe. He realized it as well and sported a small blush. “Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to say that, it just slipped out!” “It’s ok Al, I uh… I didn’t mind it” She could feel her face heating up. “Oh. Ok, good.” He grinned. “Babe.” Mara giggled.

She looked around at the passing cotton fields and pecan trees. “I really missed being out here.” She sighed wistfully. He smiled. “It sure is pretty, huh? I haven’t had time to step away from the city in years. I remember when most of the country was like this.” Mara looked at him, remembering that he had been around since before the Revolution. She realized for the first time how old he really was. Sure, he looks no older than 20 something, but he was really over 200 years old. He must have seen so much change over the centuries. As if reading her mind, he smiled again. “I’m never sad to see progress, though. It just means the people are advancing, and I know that one day we will figure out how to balance it all with nature.” Mara was stunned into silence. She only hoped his optimism would be rewarded one day.

Mara saw a familiar black wooden fence. “Oh, turn here!” Alfred pulled into a gravel drive and followed it for a while before the house came into view. It was a simple one-story house with a wraparound front porch and two rocking chairs. It was a tad bit bigger than normal homes, but not by much. Alfred stepped out of the car and breathed deeply. “Mmmm. The air is so much sweeter out here!” Mara stepped out of the car laughing. “That’s the garden. Come on, I’ll show you inside, then I’ll show you around the property.”

She led him inside, and Alfred smiled, feeling instantly relaxed. It was so warm and inviting.  There was a fireplace in the living room, a large couch, a loveseat, two recliners and a wall with a small collection of paintings. The kitchen was pretty large and it has small painted trees lining the backsplash. The dining room had a large table, obviously meant for large gatherings. “Wow, babe, I love it!” he walked over to the paintings. “These are good, did your grandparents collect art?” ”Kind of.” Mara walked next to him. “My grandma painted most of these, though.” Alfred’s turned to look at her in surprise. “Really? She was good!” “Yeah, she was...Anyway, I’ll show you the rest of the house.” She walked off to the right and walked under a small arch and down a wooden step into a small foyer filled with more small paintings and silk flowers. “This side of the house is the Master Suite. My grandpa’s office is right here.” She opened a door and stepped inside. “He was a real history buff.” The room was lined with shelves, filled with books and small collections. “His favorite was the wild west.” Alfred stepped in, amazed. The room held so many things from his past.  An old worn saddle, a collection of old knives, books, old cowboy hats, paintings and even a small display case holding an old pistol. “Babe, this is incredible!”  “I thought you might like this room.” She laughed. He turned, his eyes wide, holding her Grandpa’s old Navy service cover. “Your grandpa was military?” Mara walked over to a small framed photo of a group of sailors. “That’s him right there. He served during Vietnam. Actually, I’ve had a family member in every war and conflict since and including WWI.” Alfred looked at her, speechless. He always had a soft spot for service members. He had fought alongside many of them over the years.  _It figures my soulmate would be connected with that somehow._  “I would have loved to meet your Grandpa.” Mara smiled sadly. “Yeah, he would have loved you.” Alfred put the cover down and pulled her into his arms. “You ok, babe?” “Yeah, I’m fine. I just haven’t been here since they died. Just a lot of memories.” He rubbed her back to comfort her. She stepped away and took his hand. “Come on, I’ll show you your room then we can go outside.” He grinned and squeezed her hand. “Lead the way, babe!”  “Ok, so the first door on the left is yours, mine is the second on the right, and the bathroom is at the end of the hall.” He opened the door to his room. It was simple but nice, like the rest of the house. White carpet, a large floor to ceiling window flanked by two thin white curtains, a desk sat in the corner next to two mirrored walk-in closets, a large dresser, and a queen-sized bed. The head and foot boards were antiqued wrought iron and the bed had feather pillows and a soft plush white comforter. He quickly put his stuff away and headed over to Mara’s room. He peeked inside the door and didn’t like what he saw. Her room was less than half the size of his, had only one small closet, a nightstand, and a twin bed. There was one overhead light and no lamp, making the whole room feel dark and cramped. “Babe, you can’t sleep here.”  He said, uncharacteristically serious. Mara jumped and turned around. “What? Why not?” “It’s too small!” He shouted incredulously. “I’ll use this room and you can use the other one.” Mara laughed. “Al, if it’s too small for me, it’s  _really_  too small for you. Besides, there are only two guest rooms and I can’t take my grandparent’s room.” Al was silent for a minute as he thought of alternatives. “Well, then you will just have to sleep with me!” Mara turned bright red. “NO! Not like that! I mean in the same bed. Separately. It’s big enough for both of us.” Mara was still unsure. “I don’t know, Al, I mean, I’m ok with staying here.” Alfred walked over and brought his hand up to her cheek. “I insist babe. I promise I won’t try anything.” Mara searched his eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.  He smiled softly at her, she caved.  “Ok, Al. I’ll stay in your room.” He grinned triumphantly. “Cool!” He grabbed her suitcase and dropped it off in his room before they made their way to the back door. His eyes went wide as they stepped outside. “Holy shit babe. This is gorgeous!” Beyond the back door was something out of a fairytale. Flowers of every kind and color lined a narrow path that wound through a large portion of the property. The path led them past towering pines, a bird bath, a natural looking fountain, a white stone bench surrounded by rose bushes, a swimming hole (much to Al’s excitement) and finally to a small wooded area. “What’s this place babe?” Mara grew quiet and stared at the ground as they walked. “Hey Mara, are you ok?” She stopped suddenly and gestured to the ground in front of her.  “Al, meet my grandparents.” She took a shaky breath. “And Michelle. My twin.” “What?” Al looked down and saw three headstones. “Babe, you had a sister?”  She nodded sadly. “Yeah. She uh, she died. A few months after our 16th birthday.” She had turned away from him in an attempt to hide her tears and collect herself, but he could hear her sniffling. “Come here, babe.” He pulled her into his chest. He always called himself the hero, but right now, holding on to his weeping soulmate, he didn’t feel much like a hero at all. All he wanted to do was take away her pain, but he didn’t know how. So he just held on to her as she silently cried. “She was mugged.” Mara explained. “The guy had a gun and he was high on something, so it made him jumpy. As she was starting to hand him her bag, he pulled the trigger. He just left her there to die in the alleyway.”  _She was killed?_  “You see, that’s why I’m so grateful for you. If you hadn’t come when you did, I might have died in that alleyway. Just like Michelle.” She pulled away to look up at him, her face wet with tears. “You’re my hero, Al.” His heart lurched. He had always called  _himself_ a hero, no one had ever called  _him_ a hero. Coming from her, it put him on cloud nine. He smiled down at her, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. “I’ll always be your hero, babe.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead, lingering for a few seconds, then stepped away. He held out his hand for her to grab and she did with a smile. “So, now on to an important question. What do we have to eat?” Mara’s eyes went wide. “Shit, I forgot! We have to go to the store, there isn’t any food in the house.” Alfred gave an over-exaggerated gasp. “No food! Oh no!  We have to fix this at once!” He swept her up in his arms and started sprinting to the car. “To the store!”

 

Alfred and Mara sat on the couch, leaning against each other. They had just finished dinner and were both stuffed. They had ended up spending most of the day in town. First was the grocery store, then they saw that the flea market was open so they spent a few hours there. Then on the way back, they passed a Pet store and Alfred had insisted on going inside. After they had seen every bird, hamster, fish, and cat, they finally made their way to the house.  Although she was tired, Mara loved spending the day with him. He made her laugh and smile all day, erasing the sadness from earlier. All of the elderly people in town commented that they made a cute couple. They had both blushed, but Alfred just laughed it off. “Yeah, my babe is the best!”

Alfred had made dinner for them; ribs, hotdogs, baked beans, coleslaw and corn on the cob. Alfred made the best ribs she had ever had, so she ended up eating a lot of them. She looked over at him and saw his stomach was slightly distended from dinner. She giggled and patted his stomach. “You have a food baby!” Al pouted. “Nuh-uh! I’m not fat!” Mara laughed louder. “It’s fine! Besides, I have one too.” She said as she pat her own stomach. He chuckled “Yeah, but yours is cute.” They both sat back and laughed. He looked over at her once they had caught their breath. “You ready to go to bed babe?” Mara blushed and nodded. She had forgotten they were sharing a bed. “I can’t move yet, I’m too full.” Mara said dramatically and fell over on the couch. Al chuckled and stood to bed down and pick her up. “It’s ok babe, I’ve got you.” “My hero!” “You know it, babe!” He carried her to their room and set her down. “I’ll, uh, I’ll just change in the bathroom.” He grabbed some clothes and hurried out of the room. Mara changed into black baggy cotton pants and a gray tank top. Alfred came in a few minutes later, wearing gray sweatpants and a faded Captain America shirt.

When Alfred walked into the room, he blushed as he saw her in her pajamas. It wasn’t because they were sexy or anything, but they cemented the idea that he was about to share a bed with her.  _And,_  he admitted to himself _. The tank top is form fitting and she has curves now and damn, do they look good on her._

They both climbed into bed facing each other. Mara had never seen him without his glasses before and if anything, he looked even more attractive, if that were possible. His blue eyes gazed into her green ones. “Sorry if I wore you out today.” Mara shook her head and smiled. “It’s ok Al. I had a lot of fun.” He leaned closer and gave her another kiss on her forehead. “Good, that was the plan.” He grinned. “Goodnight babe.” “Good night Al.” 


	25. Canada's Route Chapter 2

On the way to the airport, Mara explained that her grandparents left her their house and property when they died and she wanted to spend some time there before she left.

Once they arrived, Mathew told the pilot of the private jet their new destination. Mathew spent the first few hours of the flight telling her about his history as a country and of his pet polar bear (who had chosen to stay behind). Mara listened attentively.  She was glad that he had opened up to her now that they were alone and was not so shy.  It gave her a strange warm feeling when she realized he was comfortable around her enough to talk openly with her. “Oh, sorry Maple. I must be boring you!” “Not at all! I was enjoying it.” She gave him a reassuring smile. He smiled back, giving her that warm feeling again.  _He has a great smile. It’s not blinding like Alfred’s, but it’s warm, sort of comforting._  “Well, we should be there in a few hours, why don’t you get some rest?” He settled back into his chair as Mara yawned.  _How did he know I was tired?_ “Sounds good.” He turned his attention to the window. Mara took this opportunity to study her soulmate a bit closer.  He was tall, several inches taller than her. He looked well-built too, with broad shoulders. He had on simple clothes, blue jeans and a red plaid shirt that he had rolled the sleeves up past his elbows. His hands were large and calloused. Her eyes went to his face. For someone so quiet and shy, he had a surprisingly strong face. His violet eyes are what got her, though. She had never seen eyes like his before, and it was more than just the color. He seemed to look at her with such gentleness and kindness. Her eyes were then drawn to his hair, it was cut similarly to Alfred’s, but a bit longer and lighter. And then he had that rebellious strand of hair that curled. She continues to stare at him until her eyes grew heavy, then slowly closed.

Mathew looked over at Mara and saw she was already fast asleep.   _She is so cute._  He got up and covered her in a blanket. She was so pretty, he took the opportunity to stare at her openly. Everything about her was attractive to him. Her dark brown hair, slightly tanned pale skin, and her green eyes. She was tall, but he was still taller than her. He has also seen her fight, so he knew she was strong. He had admired that strength in her from the beginning. He also knew she had a habit of not asking for help. When she could finally walk, it had taken her falling several times before she would accept his help.  _I wonder what gave her that habit…_  Now that he knew he was her soulmate, he was determined to make her see that she could depend on him to help her, that he could take care of her. His own eyes grew heavy as he stared at her until he too had drifted off.

 

Mathew was woken by the pilot’s announcement of their decent. He looked over at Mara and had to stifle a laugh. A large chunk of her hair escaped the bun and her mouth was slightly open.  _So adorable._  He leaned over the table separating them and gently shook her awake. “Mara, we are about to land. Maple?” Her eyes slowly opened and she smiled at him sleepily. “Hey, Mattie. We almost there?”  He felt blood rush to his cheeks. He didn’t usually like people calling him ’Mattie’, but somehow, he didn’t mind it when she said it like that. “Yeah, Maple. We are about to land.” She stretched and saw her reflection in the window. “Oh my god, seriously? I look like fucking Medusa!” She quickly fixed her hair back into a bun. Mathew just chuckled. She froze and turned to him. “Did- did I call you Mattie?” he nodded, still grinning. “I’m sorry! Al said you didn’t like that, it just slipped out-” Mathew cut her off “its ok. I uh, I don’t mind it.”

 

They had been driving for a while now, and he could see Mara get happier the closer they got to their destination. “Wow, it’ really out in the country, isn’t it?” he remarked, passing another wheat field. “Yeah, it’s one of the reasons I love it out here. Everything is so isolated.” Mathew smiled and felt relieved. His house was out in the wilderness, and he had been worried that she wouldn’t like it. ‘Oh!  Turn left here!”  He turned into an opening in a large black wooden fence. He reached a gravel drive and followed it until the house came into view. It was a nice house, single story and painted white with a wraparound porch, square pillars, two white rocking chairs on the front porch and grey-blue shutters. It was a little larger than normal homes, but not too much. The front part of the property was edged by towering pines on one side and had a few fruit trees close to the house. There was also a large oak tree with a bench swing attached to a large branch. Mathew stepped out and took in his surroundings. “It’s beautiful out here.” “Yeah, and we arrived at the perfect time. Springtime is gorgeous out here. Come on, we can put the bags in the house and then I’ll show you around the property before it gets dark.”

The inside of the house was just as beautiful as the outside. The living room had a large brick fireplace, a burgundy accent wall adorned with several paintings, a large sofa, a love seat and two recliners. Next was the dining room, which held a large old wooden table that was obviously meant for large families. The dining room lead into the kitchen, which was also fairly large, was painted a soft yellow with small trees painted into the backsplash. Mathew looked down at Mara and saw her sad smile.  _This must be so hard on her._  “Are you ok maple?”  She nodded and slapped on a smile. “Yeah, I’m ok. I just haven’t been here since they died. I’ll be fine. Anyway, let me show you to your room.” She quickly walked away, trying to wipe her eyes discreetly, but Mathew saw. “This can be your room.” She opened a door. It was a nice room, relatively large. It had a desk in the corner, two large walk-in closets with mirrored doors, and a floor to ceiling window flanked by thin white curtains. The bed itself was queen sized and had antiqued wrought iron head and foot boards. He set his bags down as turned to Mara, her eyes glossy from unshed tears. Without thinking, he pulled her into a hug. Mara froze when she felt his arms around her. “Mattie, why…”  “Because I know you are upset and figured you could use a hug.” He held her tighter. Mara relaxed in his arms, and even hugged him back, burying her face into his chest. She blinked rapidly to hold back the tears. “You can cry you know, it’s ok to not be strong all of the time.” He said softly as if reading her mind. Mara felt a few tears escape. “How do you already know me so well?” She sniffed. Mathew smiled and leaned his head on top of hers. “Because I’m your soulmate, Maple.” Mara didn’t know what was happening to her. She felt so comfortable in his arms as if they were two puzzle pieces fitting together. It just felt so right. She had never been held by anyone except her sister.  _No,_  she mentally scolded herself.  _If you start thinking about that, you will start sobbing all over him._  Mara took a few deep breaths and pulled away. “Sorry for crying all over you, Mattie.” He shook his head and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. “Don’t be sorry, Maple. It’s what I’m here for.” Mathew had no idea where this confidence was coming from. He has never been this comfortable around people he barely knew, let alone women, but Mara was different. He felt so comfortable around her, as if he had known her for years. He felt an overwhelming need to protect her, to care for her, to make her happy.  He figured it was the whole soulmate thing, but if he felt like this before he fell in love with her, God help him when he did…

Mara glanced outside. “Oh, let’s hurry and go outside before it gets too dark.” She led him to the back door. As he stepped on the front porch, he gasped at the sight before him. There were flowers of every kind lining a small path off to the side of the property, a fire pit, a bird feeder, and a natural-looking fountain. “This is amazing!” “My grandma did this by herself. People have come by to try to maintain it, but she did the whole thing from scratch.” Mara smiled proudly. She grabbed his sleeve. “Come on, it gets better!” She was right, there was a lot more. They passed a vegetable garden, a shade garden, and a swimming hole. Her excitement died down a bit as they reached a secluded spot. “And over here, are the people I wanted to introduce you too.” She gestured at the ground. He looked down at the ground in confusion, then felt grief engulf him. There on the ground were three headstones. She cleared her throat “Mattie, meet my grandparents, and,” Mara stopped again, fighting more tears.” And my twin sister, Michelle.” His head snapped up in surprise. She had a twin? “Your sister?” she nodded. “Yeah. She died a few months after our 16th birthday. She was shot.” “Oh, Maple,” He brought her into his arms again, his hand stroking the back of her head. “She was mugged and the guy shot her as she was handing over her purse. He left her there, Mattie. He left her there to die.” He gripped her tighter to him as she finally let go. She let go of all her grief she had been storing deep inside for years. She was normally a very private person, but she was also a very all or nothing kind of person. And she was tired. Tired of holding everything in, tired of trying to remain strong. Mathew’s arms holding her tight opened the floodgates, she cried every tear she held back. She just let it all go and Mathew just held on, comforting her the best he could. Through her grief, Mara knew that getting all of her shit out in the open was for the best, this way Mattie could know that he would be getting for a soulmate. A lonely, emotionally scarred girl. This way he could decide if he wanted to be with her, or walk away. It was only fair to him.

He held on to her for a while, neither of them wanting him to let go. Mara was the first to step away. She noticed it had gotten darker. “We should get inside before the sun finishes setting.” As they made their way back, Mathew reached over and grabbed her hand. Mara flinched at the sudden contact but gave his hand a small squeeze in return.

 

They stood at the door to his room. “I’ll get my stuff so you can go to bed. Tomorrow we will need to the store to get food first thing in the morning.” She grabbed her suitcase and paused at the doorway. “The bathroom is at the end of the hall and my room is the second door on the right. Good night Mattie.” He smiled and gave her a small wave. “Good Night Maple.”

After she walked out the door, Mathew flopped down on the bed behind him. It had been a long day and he had found out a lot about his Maple. Losing her sister must have done a serious number on her, and it explained some things. He didn’t even want to imagine losing Al, no matter how annoying he was. He could also sense she was holding something back still.  _Something else must have happened to her. She never talks about her parents._  He felt a mix of emotions well up inside. Sadness over what she could have gone through, and Fury at whoever could have caused it. However, he was pleased that she had trusted him enough to tell him what she did. “Maybe, she is starting to rely on me. Just a little.”

 

Mara had changed into her pajamas and was tucked under the covers of her bed. She laid on her back and stared at the ceiling. Her head and heart were at war with each other.  Her head was telling her to be cautious, that realistically he would get tired of her shit and leave. Her heart was busy rejoicing over the fact she had been hugged more times today than she had in years. She was happy that someone was being gentle and caring. But both sides agreed on one thing. While she enjoyed receiving affection, how was she supposed to give it? She had never received much affection and love, she had also never really given any either.  _Maybe if I just copy what he does, that will be enough._


	26. England's Route Chapter 2

Arthur woke to the pilot’s announcement of their decent. He looked down to find Mara snuggling against him, still fast asleep. He started stroking her hair. “Mara? Mara, it's time wake up darling.” Mara groggily blinked her eyes open. She tilted her head up to look at him. “Hey, Artie. Good morning.” She smiled at his tender expression. “Good morning love.”  Mara sat up and stretched, emitting a small squeak. “Are we there yet?” “Just about to land.” Mara grinned. “Good. I can’t wait to see it again.  I hope you like it. It’s pretty secluded and it has a big garden. It’s out in the country too, so you can see all the stars at night.” Arthur smiled as he watched her eyes light up as she talked about it. He had seen her smile before, but it was always guarded. This was a look of joy. It made her look all the more beautiful to him.

Once they landed, Arthur rented them a car and they started on their way to the house. Along the way, Mara pointed out things she remembered from her childhood. She had spent her summers here until her grandparents died. As they were coming up to the Farmer’s Market, Mara told him to pull in. “There isn’t any food at the house.”

They were back on the road soon enough. The town soon gave way to farms and fields. They passed fields of cotton, pecan trees, and wheat. The longer they drove, the fewer houses they saw until finally, they came upon a stretch of land lined by a wooden fence with black paint peeling off. “This is it! Turn in at the gate.” He did as she instructed and found himself on a gravel drive. Soon, a house came into view. It was a white single story with a wraparound porch. The windows were framed with grey-blue shutters and there were two rocking chairs sitting on the front porch. Arthur got out of the car first and walked over to the passenger side to help Mara out. “You were right, love. It’s beautiful.” “I’m glad you think so, but there is a lot more!” she said excitedly. “Let’s put the food away then I’ll show you around.”

Arthur could easily see why Mara loved it here. It instantly felt like home. The brick fireplace, paintings, antique furniture and overall color scheme complemented each other perfectly. And if he looked closely, he could tell the trees painted in the kitchen were done by hand. “The house is decorated beautifully.” He commented as he set the bags on the counter. “My grandma did all the painting herself, even most of the framed art on the wall.” His eyes widened. “Really? She was brilliant!” Mara laughed. “Yeah, artistic ability runs in the family. Except for me, though. I can’t even do stick figures.”

They both made quick work of the groceries. Mara took Arthur’s hand and led him out of the back door.  Arthur couldn’t believe his eyes. “This is magical!” Mara giggled. “Coming from you, that’s a high compliment!” she teased. Arthur just rolled his eyes. They walked the garden path hand in hand. They passed hydrangea bushes with blue, white and pink. They came to a white stone bench surrounded by roses, a bird bath, a fountain and flowers of every type and color lined their path. The small dirt path curved and they entered a shade garden decorated with Ivy archways. They passed a large pond Mara called a ‘swimming hole’ and they finally came to a small wooded area. Arthur had been making comments on the beauty of the garden and Mara had been smiling, but he had noticed that she had grown quiet, her head downcast. She stopped suddenly and he looked down as well and understood. There at the end of the path were three headstones. Without a word, he took her into his arms, stroking her hair.

“Thank you, Arthur.”

“For what, darling?”

Mara sniffled. “You have shown me how kind people really can be. I had almost given up hope. I’m not sure how I’ll ever repay you.” Arthur hugged her tighter and smiled softly. “You don’t have to do anything at all, love. You just make me happy just by being near me.”

After Mara had collected herself again, they made their way back to the house. Arthur insisted on making them lunch, so Mara went to go unpack in her room. Arthur finished rather quickly (without burning anything) and went to go get Mara. When he got to her room, he froze. His room was rather nice, but hers was less than half the size of his and the bed was a twin compared to his queen sized bed.  _No, this will not do at all!_  “Love?” “Yes?” she replied without turning. “Do you really intend to sleep here?” Now she turned, a little confused. “Well, yeah. It’s the only extra guest room, it’s a bit small, but I don’t need much. I don’t mind it.” “Mara, dear, there is no way I would be able to sleep comfortably while my soulmate sleeps in this room.” Mara laughed. “Where else would I sleep?” “With me of course.” He said matter-of-factly. “Wait, what?” He walked over to her and held her hands in his. “I told you, I would never take advantage of you without your consent. I would never dream of doing anything to you while you are asleep.” Mara hesitated. “I know, Arthur. I trust you.” It was just the thought of sleeping in the same bed as him and then waking up next to him made her heart race and heat rise up to her cheeks. “I just want you to be comfortable, love.” She finally smiled. “Alright. I’ll stay in your room. But since I’m almost done unpacking, you have to help me move my stuff.” Arthur grinned. “Deal.”

After lunch, Mara helped him with the dishes. She then sat him down on the couch and brought out the picture album. They sat and laughed at the memories her grandma had captured in film. Mara didn’t have a lot of good memories, but the ones she did have were stored in that book. Once they had gone over every picture, they cuddled on the couch. They were laid out, he sat against the armrest and she was tucked into his side. Arthur had never pegged himself for much of a cuddler, but Mara seemed to enjoy it and he had quickly discovered that he didn’t mind it all that much. He felt Mara nuzzle his chest and heave a content sigh. He felt his heart swell. He knew he was already in love with her. He wasn’t sure  _when_ it happened, but he couldn’t deny his feelings for her.  He looked down at her and ran his fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and her lips pulled into a small smile. He could no longer hold back his words. “Hey, love?” Mara tilted her head to look up at him and hummed.  “I love you.” Mara froze, her eyes wide. “Y-you what?”  “I love you, Mara. I know we haven’t known each other for long, and I’m not sure if it’s the fact that we are soulmates that made me fall so fast, but I cannot deny how I feel.” Mara was left speechless. A strange new emotion washed over her but she couldn’t tell if it was bad or good. “Arthur, I…I don’t know what to say.” She admitted. His eyes were tender and his voice grew soft. “Just say what you feel darling.” Mara felt a pang of guilt. “Well, that’s the problem. I know I have strong feelings for you. I know you make me happy, I know that I can trust you, and I know that you have shown me more affection and kindness in the short time I have known you than I’ve known my whole life. But, I’ve never been in love before, so I can’t say for sure if that’s how I feel just yet.”  His heart clenched at her words. More than anything, he wished she could say that she loved him too. But he also understood that he could not pressure her into loving him. He replied with a sad, but patient smile. “That’s quite alright darling. You take as long as you need. I would wait forever for you, my love.” Mara felt the tension leave her at his words. She settled back into his arms. “Thank you for understanding, Arthur.”

“Anything for you, love.” 


	27. France's Route Chapter 2

Francis woke first, hearing the pilot announce their decent. He looked down and smiled. Mara was still sleeping soundly, snuggled into him. He hadn’t slept so well in years and he had a feeling it was due to this beautiful woman in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. “Mara, mon amour. It’s time to wake up.” Mara didn’t even stir. He chuckled and started planting soft kisses on her forehead and the top of her head. “Mon Amour?”  Mara started to slowly wake up. Francis brushed aside the hair that had fallen on her face and started caressing her cheek. Mara’s eyes slowly blinked open. She looked up and saw Francis smiling at her. “Bonjour ma chère.” He said softly. Mara smiled back up and him. “Good morning Francis.” He leaned in and kissed her nose. “Did you sleep well, mon amour?” Mara snuggled closer to him. “I slept great.” Francis held her tight to him. “As did I.” He let go reluctantly and fixed the recliner so they were sitting up again. Mara sat up in his lap and stretched. Her hands went to her hair and she felt several tangles. She was able to get several of them out herself but she hit a big one and winced as the hair pulled at her scalp. “Allow me.” His fingers ran through her long hair, gently removing the rest of the tangles. Mara could see why Francis allowed her to play with his hair so long. This felt great.

 

Once on the ground, Francis rented a car and they made their way to the house. Francis laughed at Mara, who was excitedly pointing out things she remembered from her childhood. “Oh! The farmer’s market is open! We can get food for the house there!”

Francis excitedly browsed the Farmer’s market, commenting on the quality of the food. “Yeah, I used to love to come here. My Grandma used to sell her vegetables here and she would let me help all the time.

 

Once Francis had chosen everything they needed, they drove the rest of the way to the house. “OOH! Turn here!” Francis chuckled at her excitement. He turned onto a gravel path and quickly saw why she loved this place. Towering pines lined one side of the property, and the house itself seemed so inviting. A single-story white house with a wraparound porch, square pillars, two rocking chairs and large windows framed by grey-blue shutters. Francis got out of the car and hurried over to the passenger side to help Mara out of the car. “We are finally here!” Mara smiled up at Francis. “Thank you for bringing me here, Francis.” Francis leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Anyzing for you, Mon amour.” “Let’s put the food away, then I can show you around.

 

Francis loved the kitchen. It was nice and big, with a ton of counter space and a small island. The walls were a pale yellow and small trees had been painted along the backsplash. The appliances were old, but good quality and there was a good-sized walk-in pantry. “Oui, I can work with zis.” Mara laughed at the happy gleam in his eyes. “I’m glad you like it.” “What’s not to like? It is practical, functional and beautifully decorated!” Mara smiled softly. “My grandma did all of the decorating and painting in the house.” Francis looked shocked.  “She did?” “Yeah, she loved to paint. I’ll show you some more of her work.” Mara took his hand and led him to a wall of paintings in the living room. “She did all  _ziz?_ ” Francis was amazed. There were landscapes, flowers, fruits, sunsets, and portraits. They were all painted beautifully. “Mara, Zis is amazing! Your Grand-mère did all of ziz?” Mara nodded, proud that he liked her grandma’s paintings. “Artistry runs in the family. Except for me, though.” Mara chuckled. “I can barely do stick figures.” Mara got lost in memory. “Grandma loved watercolor the best. My grandpa carved wood and Michelle used chalk.” She let out a short laugh. “We always joked that she got all the good genes and I got the leftovers.” Mara shook herself from her memories and grabbed Francis’s hand again. “I’ll show you the rest of the house.” After a quick tour, Mara showed him to a guest room. It was big, with white carpet, a desk, a large dresser, two closets, a queen sized bed with antiqued wrought iron head and footboard, a fluffy white comforter and equally fluffy pillows. On the wall was a large floor to ceiling window framed by thin white curtains. Francis walked around, admiring the room and the framed photos on the wall. When he turned around, Mara had gone. Slightly alarmed, he went to go look for her. He found an open door down the hallway and peeked inside the doorway.  Inside, Mara was putting her clothes away in a small closet. The whole room was small, less than half the size of his. “Mon amour, what are you doing?” Mara jumped and turned to see Francis walking towards her with a hurt expression on his face. “Francis! Oh, I was just putting my things away.” “Zis room is so small, you would prefer zis over sharing a bed with me?” Francis had assumed that after they had spent the night together on the plane, Mara would share a room with him. He had gotten so used to people thinking bad of him that in his mind, the only reason she wouldn’t want to share a bed with him was that she had started to think him a pervert as well. Mara saw the hurt expression on his face and instinct told her what was wrong. She walked over to him and cradled his face in her hands. “Francis, it’s not that I don’t trust you or that I wouldn’t want to uh… share a bed with you,” Mara blushed as she said those words. “It’s just that I assumed you would want to have a bed to yourself, rather than have to share.” Francis’s face cleared, finally understanding. He smiled as his worries were laid to rest. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers. “I appreciate the thought, Mon amour, but I could never choose to sleep alone over ‘aving you in my arms.”  Mara briefly wondered if she was crazy. She had known this man for no more than 24 hours, yet she trusted him enough to share a bed with him. Mara quickly pushed that thought from her mind. No, she hadn’t known him long, but this was  _Francis_ , her soulmate. And for some reason, the idea of sharing a bed felt natural, like they had been doing it for years.  And she  _knew_ , within the depths of her soul, that Francis would never hurt her.  The feeling both terrified her and thrilled her. Mara pushed the thoughts away, allowing herself to relax in his arms. She placed a small kiss on his cheek and stepped away. “Well, I’d better move my things then.”

Once Mara had her things settled, she led Francis out the back door. “Mon Dieu, c’est beau!”  (My god, this is beautiful!) He exclaimed. He saw flowers of every kind and color. Mara led him down a small dirt path that wound through different sections of the garden. They passed hydrangeas, lilies, tulips, carnations, irises, a bird bath, a few birdhouses, a fountain, a large pond and a white stone bench surrounded by rose bushes. “Mara, zis is wonderful!” Mara smiled “I used to love to sit here in the mornings.” Seeing the roses gave Francis got an idea. “Ma chère, you said your family is buried on the property, correct?” Mara nodded, unsure where he was going with this. “Do you mind if I take some roses?  I wish to pay my respects.” Mara was shocked at first but then smiled warmly. “Of course you can.” Francis took three white roses. Mara silently led him down the path again, continuing towards the small wooded area that edged the property. There, among the path, were three headstones. Francis walked up to the two belonging to her grandparents and knelt to the ground, placing roses on each headstone. “Bonjour. I am Francis. I want you to know zat I will spend my life in ze attempt to make your granddaughter as ‘appy as I can. I care for ‘er very deeply and I will show ‘er all the respect and love she deserves. And might I say, Madame, your garden is still beautiful.” Mara was holding back tears, she was touched that Francis would care that much. Francis then turned to kneel in front Michelle’s headstone. “Bonjour Michelle. I am your sister’s soulmate. You should know zat Mara is safe. She is strong, capable and beautiful. I am sorry zat I never got to meet you, ‘owever Mara talks about you all ze time.” He placed the last rose on her headstone. “I will cherish and watch over your sister for as long as she will let me.” By the time Francis stood and turned to Mara, she was already in tears. Watching him, this man who barely knew her, this man who has shown her so much affection and care, watching him speak to her family so softly and tenderly... As if he too was in mourning. Something about that broke the guards she had been putting around her emotions. Mara threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. “Thank you.” Her voice was muffled by his clothes. “Thank you so much.” Francis wrapped one arm around her and the other one stroked her hair soothingly. He held her as she cried, letting go of all the pain she had held inside for so many years. Francis held her, whispering soothing things in French. She cried for what seemed like forever and Francis just held her, never complaining, just holding her and doing his best to soothe his weeping soulmate. Eventually, though, her tears dried up and Mara sniffled again, stepping away to see that Francis’s shirt was practically soaked through with her tears. “Oh my god! I ruined your shirt, I am so sorry-” He cut her off with a shake of his head. “Non, mon amour. It is just clothes.”  There was a sentence Francis never thought he would say. But surprisingly, his shirt didn’t seem to matter as much as making sure Mara was ok. Francis wiped her cheeks, still wet from tears, and grabbed her hand. “Shall we go back to the ‘ouse, mon amour? I will cook for you as you rest.” Mara shook her head. “I’ll help you cook.” Francis chuckled. “I am positive you are very capable, ‘owever, will you allow me to take care of you zis time? Next time, we shall cook together.”  _Hell, who could say no to that?_  “Ok, deal.”

 

Mara had thoroughly enjoyed lunch. Of course, that is to be expected from  _France_.

After they cleaned up, they went for another walk around the property. Mara told him stories of her summers playing in the garden.

Currently, Mara was laying down with her head in Francis’s lap as he ran his fingers over her scalp and through her hair. Mara had her eyes closed in total relaxation. “This feels amazing, Francis.” She murmured softly. Francis had to mentally beat back the stray perverted thoughts that crept forward at her words. Mara let out a long yawn. “Keep this up and I’ll end up falling asleep.” Francis smiled warmly. “Zat is good, mon amour. You need your rest, you are still recovering.” Mara smiled sleepily at him, her eyes only half open. Francis mentally groaned.  _Why does she ‘ave to look so alluring right now?_  Her hand reached out and caressed his cheek. “You’re sweet Francis, but I feel fine.” He turned his head and kissed her palm. “Nonetheless, we must be sure.” Francis got up from the couch and picked her up. “What are you doing?” “Taking you to bed so you can rest, Mon amour.” He carried her to their room and set her down on the pillows and lay down beside her. He leaned back against the headboard. Mara rolled on her side and faced him as his hands continued to massage her scalp. Mara hummed in content. Very soon after, Mara had been lulled to sleep. Francis admired her sleeping form. She was truly beautiful.  _And strong_. His fingers traced the outline of a fading bruise on her arm. The memory of what happened to her made his gut wrench. The thought of her having to go through six months of that on her own… Francis scoot down so he was lying beside her and put an arm around her, pulling her close. Mara cuddled close to him in her sleep, her face nuzzling his chest. Francis smiled.  _At least she is safe now._ Francis closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him. 


	28. Romano's Route Chapter 2

The first hour or so of the plane ride was mostly silent. They sat opposite of each other, frequently catching the other staring.  _Aww, he’s shy. Too bad I am too…_   Mara started to slowly coax Lovino into a conversation. It worked because soon he had relaxed and started telling her about his history and his home. Mara listened attentively. She loved history, but it was his voice that captured her attention. It was a little deep and smooth. And his accent was just… wow. She had noticed before that is was slightly different than his brothers, but she found she liked Lovino’s better.

After a while, Lovino stopped talking. “I’ve been talking about myself a lot, haven’t I?” He smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Cara.” He leaned forward on the table, resting his head in his hand, the other reached out to hold her hand, his thumb stroking the top of her hand. Mara felt her heart rate spike from the way he looked at her.

Mara couldn’t help but get lost in those olive green eyes that were looking at her with such tender affection. Everything about him seemed perfect to her. From his dark brown hair, that odd curl sticking out, his perfectly tanned skin and that small smile he had whenever he looked at her. It was more than just his looks that drew her to him, though. Although she hadn’t known him long, she had already started to get a feel for his personality. He seemed gruff with Alfred, but he looked embarrassed and apologetic when she intervened. He seemed to be the chivalrous type, which would normally annoy her, but she could tell that he didn’t mean anything by it except that he wanted to take care of her. He opened the car door for her, he had helped her into and out of the car and he held her hand every chance he got. Mara wasn’t used to all this attention, but after a lifetime of only having herself to rely on, it was nice to be treated with such care.  _I don’t deserve someone like him. How did I end up so lucky?_  “What are you thinking bella ragazza?” Mara shook herself from her thoughts and blushed as she realized she had been staring at him the whole time. “Uh, sorry, I was lost in thought.” He chuckled. “What about?” Her blush got worse. “About you, actually.” “O-oh? What about me?” Lovino’s cheeks turned pink.  _How can he be hot and cute at the same time?_  “About how nice you’ve been to me. I’m not used to people taking care of me.” She looked away. She realized what she was saying and it was making her embarrassed. “I think I like it. It weird, but it’s nice.” She finished with a smile.

Internally, Lovino could not get over how cute his ragazza looked. Outwardly, he calmly got up and sat next to her. He wrapped an arm around her. “I like taking care of you, Mara. I’ll always take care of you if you’ll let me.”  Mara relaxed immediately in his arms. “You are too good to me. I don’t deserve you.” She whispered it, but he heard anyway. He pulled away and looked her in the eye. “No. Nothing I do will ever be ‘too good for you’. Nothing is too good for you. You deserve to be taken care of, Mara.” He looked so serious, so intense.  _He really means that..._

Lovino’s face softened into one of uncertainty. “If anything, it’s  _me_  who doesn’t deserve  _you_.” Mara’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” “People prefer mio fratello over me. He is more outgoing and nicer to people than me. Feli could probably make you happier than I can. You would have been better off with him than me.” Lovino wasn’t one to be so open with his feelings, especially when it came to his insecurities about being compared to his little brother. But for some strange reason, he felt completely comfortable with Mara. He just  _knew_  she would never mock him for how he felt. He had spent centuries using his temper to mask how he felt, it felt so liberating to be able to trust her and open up. But there was that doubt in his mind that told him that she really would prefer Feli over him. He had just met her, but the thought of her leaving him for Feli was devastating.

Mara’s gaze hardened as if the idea that her soulmate thought so little of himself offended her. “That’s the same thing Alfred said when I told him you were my soulmate.” She said with a huff. “Lovino,  _you_  are my soulmate, not your brother. Sure, he is nice, but so are you, at least to me. Besides, I’m not sure if I could spend day after day with someone so bubbly. I can only handle so much cute before it gets annoying.” Lovino couldn’t help but chuckle a little. That is the same way he felt about his brother. “Also, you are fricking  _Italy_ , that’s so cool! I wouldn’t trade being your soulmate for anything, or anyone for that matter.” She looked at him tenderly and her voice softened. “You are my soulmate, Lovi, you are literally the only person who can make me the happiest, not your brother, not anyone. Only you.”

Lovino’s breath had caught in his throat, his eyes wide with shock. “Call me that again.” He whispered hoarsely. “Huh? Oh, you mean Italy? I know you are Southern Italy, but that still makes you Italy, right?” He practically tackled her, his arms pulling her into his lap, pressed up tight against him. He nuzzled into her neck, whispering softly spoken Italian in her ear, making her shudder. “ _Mara._ ” He said her name like it was a prayer, his voice filled with reverence. It made her heart race and she felt a warmth fill her, a new feeling washing over her.

“Lei è la sola persona a mi chiamano con il mio nome. Vi ringrazio tanto per non trascurare di me come chiunque altro. Mi hai fatto così felice, è bella donna. Si sono così prezioso per me. Io non ho mai lasciar andare il mio tesoro.” (You are the only person to call me by my name. Thank you so much for not overlooking me like everyone else. You have made me so happy, you beautiful woman. You are so precious to me. I'm never letting you go, my treasure.)

Whatever he said, it sounded incredibly romantic and Mara could tell he meant every word. Too bad she didn’t speak Italian.  “I’m not sure what you said, but I’m guessing you like being called Italy? Would you prefer I call you Italy?” He laughed. “No, tesoro, I don’t think my heart could take that.” She giggled put her hand up to his cheek. “Just don’t compare yourself to your brother anymore ok? To me, there is no comparison. I’m not going anywhere.” She kissed his cheek and marveled at how she wasn’t nervous around him anymore. All she felt was that new warm feeling that seemed to take up permanent residence in her chest. His eyes closed and he rested his forehead on hers. “Posso vedere perché tu sei la mia anima gemella. Credo che sto già cadere in amore con voi miei cari.” (I can see why you are my soulmate. I think I’m already falling in love with you, my dear.)

“Still don’t speak Italian.” He chuckled and pulled away a little. “Never mind, Cara. I’ll explain later. I should teach you some Italian though, considering we will be living there.” Mara winced. “You can try, but I’ve never been good at learning different languages. I barely passed Spanish in high school.” Lovino scowled a bit. “Good thing my language is better than that tomato bastards.” She giggled. He had already mentioned Spain quite a lot already. Although he called him a Bastard, Mara could tell Lovino considered Spain as a friend.

The rest of the plane ride was spent by Lovino trying to teach Mara some simple words and phrases in his language. Mara got some of the meanings, but her pronunciation was laughable. Which he did, on many occasions.

The lessons dragged on until they both fell asleep, with Lovino resting against the window and Mara in his lap.

 

Mara woke first at the sound of the pilot’s announcement of their descent. Mara blinked angrily at the sunlight on her face. She felt a set of arms tighten around her waist and someone nuzzling her neck. Mara froze at first, then relaxed when she remembered where she was. She managed to pull away a bit to look at her sleeping soulmate. He was so cute when he was sleeping! His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, but his lips held a small smile. His hair fell into his eyes a bit, so Mara pushed back the strands, her fingertips lightly brushing his forehead. She got caught up in the moment and ran her fingers down his cheek, admiring the surprisingly soft skin. He really was incredibly good looking. His facial features were a perfect mix of strong and soft. Her eyes and hands wandered on their own accord, drifting over his shoulders and arms. His shoulders fit his frame perfectly, not too broad, but still strong. His arms, while not large and bulging like Ludwig’s, she could feel firm defined muscles under his shirt. Lovino murmured what sounded like her name in his sleep, snapping her out of her daze. She blushed as she realized she had been practically feeling him up in his sleep. He seemed to fall back asleep, so Mara returned her hands to his face. Her eyes darted to his lips.  _One day, probably soon, I will be kissing those lips._ She wondered if they were as soft as they looked. Without fully realizing what she was doing, Mara traced her finger over his lips, marveling at their softness.  “I don’t think I’d mind kissing him if his lips are this soft.” She murmured. He brought his hand up to grab hers, keeping them in place. “You’ll find out soon if you keep touching me like that, mio Tesoro.”  Mara’s eyes went wide and she blushed heavily. She had been caught. “S-Sorry Lovi! I didn’t mean to!” He let out a throaty chuckle and gingerly kissed her fingers. “I don’t really mind, Cara.”  He let go of her hand and she quickly got off of his lap, her face still bright red.  He stretched, his back emitting small pops. He wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her into another hug. “How did you sleep mio Tesoro?” Mara’s blush was slowly fading. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and hugged him back. “Good. I don’t think I’ve ever slept so well, actually.” He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Me too.”

The plane landed and soon the pair were on the final leg of the trip. Although this was the closest airport to the house, it was still a two-hour drive to get there. Or it would have been if Lovino drove like a normal person and not a racecar driver. Mara tried to distract herself from him weaving in and out of traffic by telling his stories of her summers at her grandparent house. Although she was glad he was such an attentive listener, she  _really_  wished he would spend more time looking at the road.

They got to town in record time, and Mara was grateful that the roads were busy. That meant that Lovino had to slow down to a reasonable speed. He didn’t look too happy about it, though. Mara directed him to the Farmer’s Market so they could get some food for the house. He seemed to perk up once he was surrounded by food. He made a beeline to the tomato stand and started inspecting the product. “It’s not like the tomatoes that I grow back home, but they are not bad.” Mara giggled at the happy gleam in his eyes as he selected which tomatoes they would buy. “My grandma used to sell her vegetables here when I was a kid, including tomatoes.” His eyes shot to hers. “So you like tomatoes?” He sounded so excited that Mara couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, they’re great.” Lovino grinned and wrapped an arm around her waist as they moved to the next stand.

After getting everything they needed, they drove the rest of the way to the house. “There are a lot of farms out here.” He commented as they passed another field. “Were your grandparent's farmers?” “No, they just really liked it out here so they bought some land and retired here.” Mara smiled wistfully while looking out of the window. “I don’t blame them. It’s beautiful out here.” Lovino had to agree.  It wasn’t home, but it was beautiful all the same. Mara sat up and started to bounce in her seat as they reached a stretch of land lined by a black wooden fence. “Here! Turn here at the gate!” The house came into view was nice, but simple. A white single story with a wrap around front porch, white pillars, rocking chairs, and ferns decorated the outside. The windows were framed by blue-grey shutters. The small field in front of the house held a few lemon and orange trees, a large oak tree that held a large porch swing, and tall pines that lined one edge of the property. He parked the car and Mara moved to get out. Lovino out a hand on her knee to stop her. “Wait there.” Mara was confused but stayed still. He got out and jogged to her door and opened it for her. He held out his hand to help her up. Mara blushed a little.  He was being so attentive, it was a new experience for her, but she had to admit, it was nice. She took his hand and allowed him to pull her out of the car. He insisted on carrying all of the bags himself, no matter how much Mara insisted on helping. So instead she opened the door and showed him to the kitchen. Lovino thought the rest of the house was nice but was really excited about the kitchen. It was nicely decorated, but more important were the appliances. He set the bags down and looked around. He looked to the other side of the oven and let out an exclamation of surprise. “There is a pizza oven!” Mara laughed at his excitement over an oven. “Yeah, my grandparents loved to cook all kinds of foods, and they always insisted on doing it right.” Lovino grinned. “I think I would have liked your grandparents.” “I think they would have liked you too.”

After the food had been put away, Mara took him outside to see her grandma’s garden. Lovino was taken aback at the sight. “Questo è fantastico! è bellissimo!”(this is amazing! It’s beautiful!) It was gorgeous. Mara led him down a small dirt path that led them past roses, tulips, a fountain, a bird bath and even a section of lilies. They got to a section where the path was covered in ivy archways. Mara led him off of the path to a more secluded section. “Where are we going cara?” Mara smiled. “To a different part of the garden. My grandma did the main garden by herself, but this other section was one she let me and Michelle help with.” They came to a smaller garden, one section was filled with small flowers, one with herbs, and the third with vegetables. Including a few tomato plants. “This is perfect. Cara!” He excitedly checked out the herbs and veggies. “How are they still in such good shape?” “A few of their friends come by every so often and work on the garden. They can’t do much, no one is as good as my grandma was, but they manage to keep everything alive.” He stood and returned to her, wrapping his arms around her. “Bella, are you ok? I realize this must be hard on you for you to be here after so long.” He had been so caught up in everything, he had just realized how sad her smile had become. Mara leaned her head onto his chest and wrapped her arms around him too. “I’m ok. It's sad, everywhere I look, I’m reminded of them. It’s good, though. This way I have a chance to finally say goodbye.” Mara pulled away. Lovino held her hand as she led them back to the path and to a small wooded area. “Lovino, meet my family. Family, this is Lovino. He is my soulmate. So I guess you could call him my boyfriend.” Lovino blushed. They were kind of dating, he realized. In a ‘hey, I just met you, let's move in together’ kind of way. “Ciao a tutti (hello everyone). My name is Lovino.” He knelt in front of the headstones. “I care for Mara very much. I know I may not be the best person, but I will be the best man I can be for her. She is a special ragazza. Penso che sto già innamorando di lei e spero che lei si innamori di me presto così posso spendere per sempre con lei.” (I think I'm already falling for her and I hope that she will fall in love with me soon so I can spend forever with her) He said the last part in Italian so she couldn’t understand. It would be too embarrassing to tell her how he felt right after they met, soulmate or not. Mara was gazing sadly at the headstones. She was touched that Lovino was introducing himself, but she was also lost in her own emotions. She had never properly grieved for her dead relatives, choosing instead to push her feelings aside so she could function in her daily life. But being back here threatened to bring all of those emotions to the forefront, and Mara realized she was fighting a losing battle. Lovino turned when he heard her sniffling behind him. He saw her face covered in tears and his heart ached for her. He stood and pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back and held on as tight as he could, trying to will her grief away. “Shhh, è ok. Che sta per essere ok. Sono qui. Lasciare la mio tesoro, è ok.” (shhh, it's ok. it's going to be ok. I'm here. let it out my treasure, it's ok). He held on to her as she finally let go of her grief. He continued to whisper soothing words and leave small kisses on her cheek and forehead. Mara finally calmed down, her tears were drying up. But she still held onto him, unwilling to break contact. She felt so warm and protected in his arms, if she had her way, she would never have to leave them. She felt that warm feeling grow in her chest.  _I can’t be falling in love with him already, could I?_ She thought back to the time they had spent together so far, and how he treated her and made her feel.  _I guess I am a little._  She nuzzled into his shoulder and his arms tightened around her. “Let's go inside, tesoro. I’ll make you something to eat then we can take a siesta.”  Mara hummed and held on to him tighter as well. “A nap sounds great.” He was as unwilling as her to let go, so he picked her up instead and carried her to the house.

Lunch was two courses. The first was pasta, which was delicious. The second was Chicken Marsala with a salad. Mara didn’t think she had ever eaten so much food in one sitting. But it was absolutely delicious, so she didn’t complain.

After lunch, Mara showed him to the guest room. “What do you mean ‘my room’?” he questioned. Mara looked puzzled. “I mean the room you will be staying in.” “You won’t be in here with me?” Mara blushed. “Y-you want to share a bed?” Lovino realized what she thought he must have meant and blushed himself. “Not like that! Well, not yet, anyway. I just mean…” He sighed and walked over to her. He placed his forehead on hers and took a deep breath. “What I mean is, share a bed, but only to be able to hold you. I like having you in my arms and I was thinking that we could share a bed. I mean, that is, if that’s ok with you.”  “Well, I mean… I wouldn’t mind it. I, uh, I like it when you hold me too, so, yeah. I’m ok with it.” He saw her red face and chuckled. “Don’t worry Cara, I wouldn’t dream of trying anything while you slept.” He leaned in close to her ear. “Unless you want me too that is.” He said with a sly smile. Mara’s blush got worse. “W-What?!” He pulled away and laughed. “Just kidding, mia Cara.” She grumbled and lightly smacked his chest. “You flirt.” He chuckled and pulled her closer. “I’m Italian, bella, what did you expect?” He pulled her to the bed and she cuddled up close to him. Her head rested on his chest and his arm wound around her protectively. “Sweet dreams, mio Tesoro.” 


	29. North Italy's Route Chapter 2

Mara explained to Feli about her grandparents and how they left their property to her and her sister. This lead to the discussion she had been dreading, her sister’s death and her parents. She kept herself together and her emotions in check as much as she could, but Feli saw right through her. “Oh, mio tesoro. Il mio dolce, bella ragazza. (My sweetheart. My sweet, beautiful girl)” He held her tight, his heart was breaking. He hated how much pain she had been holding in, he hated that she felt the need to try and be strong around him. More than anything, he wanted her to trust him enough to cry around him, to let him carry her burden for a while. He knew he couldn’t do much, but for her, he would do anything. Mara was losing her control of her emotions the more Feli held on to her. She knew she should pull away so she could regain control, but being in his arms felt so right, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. He wasn’t that much taller than her, and his build was only slightly larger than hers, but for some reason, she felt… safe, protected. Loved. It brought forth a strange, new emotion that she couldn’t place, but she liked the feeling it gave her.  Mara forced herself to pull away and tried to smile. “Thank you Feli. I’m ok now.” He looked at her skeptically. “Are you sure cara?” “Yeah, I’m ok.” He looked like he didn’t believe her, but he nodded anyway. He held her hand in his and kissed her palm, then placing it on his cheek. “You know I’m here for you, right bella?” Mara felt her resolve flicker. “Yeah, I know. Thank you.”

 

For the rest of the flight, Feli told her of his home, the buildings, the art, the food and how he grew up. Mara was in awe. He used to be kind of a bad ass when he was younger.  _I was right, he is WAY stronger than he looks. People seriously underestimate him._

“Wait, so you learned sword fighting from THE Roman Empire?” Her jaw was practically on the floor. History had always been a hobby of hers, and the thought of the Roman Empire personified made her internally fangirl like crazy. “Grandpa Rome? Sure! I’m not too bad, actually. Grandpa said that if I paid more attention to that instead of food and art, I could have been great. But I like cooking and painting better!” He grinned. Mara giggled. He definitely was different than she thought he would be, yet somehow still the same. He  _did_  love his pasta, naps and usually chose not to fight. But it wasn’t because he was an airhead or a coward. He just knew what he liked and saw no reason to peruse anything else. And she didn’t see a problem with choosing the peaceful route, especially given all of the war and fighting he has seen.

 

Hours into the flight, Feli had fallen asleep with his head in her lap. Mara was nodding off as she stared down at him.  _He certainly is a conundrum_. He was funny and silly, but sincere. He hated to fight, but he was strong and could take care of himself for the most part. He acted like an airhead, but he understood her better than anyone else. She smiled softly as her eyelids grew heavy. She ran her fingers through his hair and traced the outlines of his face.  _What did I do to deserve someone as wonderful as you? Maybe, after all these years, it’s my turn to be happy._  That was her last thought before she drifted off to sleep, that strange new emotion she felt when she thought of him wrapping itself around her like a blanket.

 

Mara woke to a steady heartbeat and soft whispering. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. Somehow while she had been asleep, they had shifted positions so Feli was laying on his back and Mara was laying on top of him with her head resting on his chest. Feli had a soft smile and he was muttering something in Italian. She recognized her name and she listed closer, hoping to catch some meaning of his words. “Vee…Mara…così bella…ti ha fatto la pasta…mangiare…non mi lasciare…così felice…più la pasta… Vee…(Mara…so pretty…made you pasta…eat up…don’t leave me…so happy…more pasta…)” Mara didn’t understand a lot of it, but heard the word ‘pasta’ more than once and a word that sounded similar to the Spanish word for ‘happy’. She giggled and held her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. She never thought she would fall for the ‘cute’ type of guy. In the past, she had always found guys who were more of the stereotypical ‘manly men’ to be more attractive, not that she found many guys attractive at all, to be honest. She had tried to see what people found attractive about the male models, actors or musicians, but they never stirred in her anything else than mild interest. She then thought she might be a lesbian, but she didn’t find girls to be particularly attractive either. It got to the point that she had once started to consider her to be asexual, but then again, she had the occasional sexual encounter in her late teens and very early twenties, all with taller, more buff guys. But as her giggles died down, she couldn’t help but discover a slight fluttering of her heart as she gazed on the soft features of her soulmate.  _Maybe soft isn’t the right term… more… classic?_  Modern men were usually called attractive if they had strong, prominent features. Large muscled bodies, chiseled jawlines and deep voices usually dominated the mainstream media as the ideal male form. But as a fan of history, Mara knew that that wasn’t always the case. Feliciano’s features resembled more of what was ‘classically’ handsome. His face was slightly thin, with a sharp nose, high cheekbones and soft looking lips that, even in his sleep, were pulled into a small smile. But despite his more elegant features, there was an underlying masculinity to him that was undeniable.

Mara, lost in her own thoughts, lightly traced the lines of his face with her fingertips, something that was starting to become a habit. But she really couldn’t help herself. She had gone most of her life being unable and eventually unwilling to have access to friends, or people in general, really. Now, here was a man that was supposed to have been made for her, and she for him. The urge to touch him, even in the smallest sense, was overwhelming. She allowed her fingers to lightly roam over his features. Over his face, down his neck, across his shoulders and back up to run through his hair.  It was almost as if she were memorizing his every feature. The more she looked at him, the more her heart fluttered and the stronger that feeling welling up inside of her felt. She laid her head back on his chest as she kept running her fingers through his hair, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulling her slowly back to sleep.  In her drowsy state, Mara didn’t notice that her hands started wandering to the other side of his head. Her fingers brushed his curl, but the only thing she noticed was that his heart rate spiked. Mara sat up slightly in surprise. She kept gently running her hands through his hair in an attempt to get him to go back to sleep, but he started muttering her name again before shifting around, eventually blinking his eyes open. His amber gaze held a flash of intense emotions Mara couldn’t place before he softened again and smiled sleepily at her. “Bon giorno mio Cara. (Good morning, my dear.)” “Good morning.” Mara smiled and started to get off of him, but Feli’s grip on her tightened. Mara blushed a little. Cuddling with him while he was awake was waaayyy more embarrassing than when he was asleep. He chuckled at her pink face. “So cute!” he murmured. Mara’s face got darker.  “I uh, I think we are about to start landing. We should get up and get ready to go.” Feli shook his head. “But I’m comfy like this, bella! Just a few more minutes!” Mara smiled at how cute he was being, momentarily distracted from her embarrassment. “We can cuddle once we get to the house. Now come on,” She placed a hand on his chest and lightly pushed. He reluctantly let her go with a pout that would put a toddler to shame. Mara chuckled again as she stood and stretched. She moved to sit back down, but Feli pulled her into his lap instead, immediately started nuzzling her face. While Mara had to admit that she was enjoying all of the attention, his clingy ways still made her blush. Feli noticed and chuckled. “Why do get so embarrassed, Cara? Don’t you like hugs?” Mara nodded. “I’m finding out that I do.” She chuckled. “It’s just that I’m not used to getting so many.” He remembered what she had said about her childhood and squeezed her tighter to him. “Don’t worry, tesoro, I’ll give you all the hugs and cuddles you could ever want! We could cuddle all the time!” “That sounds great Hun, but I can’t breathe!”  Mara choked out. Feli immediately loosened his grip. “Sorry, bella, I got excited.” Mara caught her breath and chuckled. “I noticed. It’s fine.”

 

They landed soon after and stepped off the plane to walk to the awaiting car. Mara groaned when she saw it was another fast looking sports car, black this time. Feli laughed. “Don’t worry, Tesoro, I’m a great driver!” Mara mumbled her disagreement under her breath.

 

They sped through the long distance to the town that preceded the stretch of farmland where her grandparent’s house was at an alarmingly fast rate. The drive was supposed to take close to two hours, they got there in one. He was forced to slow down once they got to town.  _Thank GOD_.

They pulled into the farmers market to get food for the house. Mara unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door, then Feli put a hand on her leg to stop her. “Bella, maybe you should wait here while I get everything. Yao said you shouldn’t do too much for a while, remember?” Mara smiled and rolled her eyes. “Feli, I can walk, I’ll be fine.” He shook his head. “No, bella. I don’t want you to hurt yourself!” Mara placed her hand on his. “Feli, Hun. I am glad you care so much, but I promise you, I’ll be ok.” She could tell by the way he was looking at her that he wasn’t going to budge. She sighed. “Ok, fine, how about this? I’ll let you know if I start feeling hurt or tired or whatever. Deal?” He relaxed a little. “Ok. Only if you promise.” He brought up his hand to cup her cheek. “I just want to take care of you, bella.”

 

The shopping trip went by smoothly and they were back on the road in no time.  It only took about another 30 minutes until they reached a stretch of land that was lined by a wooden fence with peeling black paint. Mara started bouncing in her seat with excitement. “Here! Turn here at the gate!” Feli laughed and started to get excited as well. He turned into the gate and by the time the house came into view, they were both happily bouncing and squirming in their seats. “Oh! I love it! È perfetto! (It’s perfect)” It was a single-story white house with square pillars and a wraparound porch. One side of the property was lined with a small patch of woods. In front of the house were various fruit trees and a large swing attached to a giant oak tree. It was simple but beautiful. Feli parked the car and Mara moved to get out of the car, but Feli once again placed his hand on her leg to stop her. She looked back at him to argue that she was able to walk…again. But he cut her off with wide, slightly watery eyes and a small pout. “Let me help this time, please?” She found it hard to refuse him.  _He HAS to know what that look does to people, there is no way he is that clueless._  She sighed and nodded. “Ok. You can carry me.” He grinned in victory, and if Mara wasn’t mistaken, that smile could almost be taken as mischievous. Almost. He rushed over to her side and picked her up bridal style. Again, Mara was amazed that he could carry her with no problem. Mara wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you Feli.” He kissed the top of her head and carried her to the front door. “I would do anything for you, mia bella.” He said softly.

Once inside, Feli made a beeline for the kitchen and he was not disappointed. He could barely contain his excitement as he looked around at the appliances, large counter space, large pantry, even a small pizza oven! Mara watched him with amusement as he rushed around, opening every drawer and cabinet, expressing his excitement in a rush of Italian. “So I take it you like it?” She said teasingly. He finally stopped and looked at her with a wide grin. “Sì! E 'assolutamente perfetto! (Yes! It’s absolutely perfect!) And I love how it’s decorated! Who did they get to do it?” Mara smiled in pride. “My Grandma.” He looked at her in shock. “What? Your Nonnina (Grandma) did this? Was she a professional?” Mara shook her head. “No, she painted for fun. Do you want to see some more of her work?” Feli nodded enthusiastically, making Mara laugh as she led him back to the living room. She showed him a wall that was covered in paintings. There were landscapes, portraits, fruits, flowers and many others. Feli couldn’t help but smile softly. He loved art, and he could feel the emotion an artist would try to paint into their work. Each of these painting radiated warmth and love. “I can tell your nonnina was a good person with a beautiful soul. Her paintings are beautiful.” Mara stared at him in awe and shock. He had on such a gentle, peaceful expression. His words stirred up her emotions again and she could feel the tears rise to the surface. She pushed them back down with a steadying breath and smiled. “Well, if you like these, you will love her garden.” “She had a garden?” Mara took his hand. “Yeah, I’ll show you!” She led him out the back door and stopped and let him take it all in.

Once again, Feli stood in awe. Before him was a garden straight out of a fairytale. There were flowers of every kind and color, butterflies fluttered around, birds were singing and he could hear a fountain going in the distance. “Mara, this is… fantastico!” Mara smiled and took his hand again and lead him through the garden, showing him the different sections. They passed by a stone bench surrounded by roses, a birdbath, a large pond she called a ‘swimming hole’ and a shade garden covered with ivy archways. Throughout the tour, Mara told him the names of the flowers that she knew and he would exclaim at their beauty. She shared some of her happy memories she had here and they laughed together, slowly drifting closer together without their knowing it. They reached what seemed to him as the edge of the garden. Before them only lay the tree line. Mara stopped and turned to the side of the path, looking down. “Mara? What is the matter, Cara?” She answered without looking up. “Feli, meet my family.” He looked down and felt his heart lurch. Before them were three headstones, two side by side and one a little off to the side.  ‘ ** _Sigrid Romero & Fernando Diaz Romero_**’ and ‘ ** _Michelle Romero_** ’ He knelt down and paid his respects. “Ciao a tutti. I am Feliciano, and I plan on spending the rest of my life with Mara.” Mara was taken aback at his claim at first but then realized she actually might not mind that all that much. Not that she was in love with him yet or anything. She listened to him as he continued. “Thank you for giving this beautiful home to Mara. Now I have the opportunity to see the place that gave her so many good memories. I can tell she still loves you all very much from the way she talks about you. I know I am not the strongest man, but I swear to do all that I can to take care of her and provide for her, even if that means fighting.” Mara felt her emotions rise to the surface. She knew how much he hated to fight, and he was willing to do that… for her? “Mara is a very beautiful person, inside and out. I wish I could have met you all in person. But rest assured that I will do all that I can to make sure Mara is happy. I know she hasn’t had the happiest life so far, but I plan on making all that a distant memory if she will let me.” At this point, Mara knew she was fighting a losing battle. She was  _going_  to start crying, and it was going to be soon. She did her best to hold it in, but she felt tears escape her eyes and run down her cheeks. Feli finished and stood. As soon as he turned, he pulled her into his arms.  _My poor bella_. “It’s ok, Cara, I’m here.” She clung to him and finally broke down. She let go of it all, all the pain, the loneliness, all of the hurt she had kept inside of her for so long. He held on to her and comforted her the best he could. He whispered sweet, soothing things in her ear, telling her that it was going to be ok, that he was here, that she didn’t have to hold anything back. It broke his heart to finally see how much she had been hurting. It brought a few tears to his eyes knowing she had been dealing with this all alone.  _Well, she won’t be alone anymore._

Eventually, Mara’s tears dried out and her breathing evened out. She pulled away slightly and looked at her soulmate. “Thank you, Feli.” He chuckled and shook his head. “You keep saying that, bella. You don’t have to thank me for anything. I really enjoy taking care of you.” He brought up one hand and wiped away her tears. Mara smiled and kissed his cheek. “I really am lucky.” For the first time since she met him, he blushed. “No, tesoro. I am the lucky one. Now, let’s go inside. I’ll make you pasta and then we can take a siesta in our room.” “ _Our_  room?” He simply nodded. “Sì!”  _Well, I guess we are sharing a room then._  Although it was slightly embarrassing, she didn’t really see anything wrong with it. So she didn’t argue.

 

Was she in for a surprise when she found out how Feli likes to sleep…


	30. China's Route Chapter 2

As soon as Yao told the pilot the change of plans, he sat her down and gave her a quick once over to make sure her injuries were really as healed as she said they were.

After a few minutes, he sighed and looked up at her from his kneeling position with clear disapproval.

“What? I told you, I’m good.” He shook his head. “You  _are_ healing, but you are far from ‘good’, aru. Your bruises are almost gone, but you still need to take it easy. You do not get over six months of dehydration and near starvation in just three weeks. You still need to let yourself get better. So no strenuous exercising or training.”

“What about kickboxing?”  She asked hopefully. He gave her a look that clearly said, ‘are you kidding me?’

Mara slumped in her seat. “This sucks.”

He sighed and sat in the seat across from her.

“Just have patience, Mara.”

She laid back in her seat which an overdramatic sigh. “But it’s been  _forever!_  I need to do  _something_!”

He couldn’t help but laugh at her antics. “It’s been three weeks. That is hardly forever.” She sat up and stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes. She sat up and gave him a half smile. “I know you're right, it’s just that I’ve never gone this long without doing  _some kind_ of training and exercise. It’s frustrating.”

Yao was suddenly reminded of how she got her injuries in the first place. Although he hadn’t been there to see it, he did see the aftermath and Alfred’s description of the event painted and all too clear picture in his head of what happened. While the image of Alfred running with her limp body in his arms will always be branded into his mind,

“I have to say, I am impressed that you were able to handle yourself the way you did. Fighting anyone in that state wouldn’t have been easy, let alone three.” Mara smiled sheepishly. She wasn’t used to getting too many compliments. “Well, it was probably mostly due to the fact they were drunk.” Yao smiled and shook his head. “Even then, you have to have some skill. Not many people learn how to fight these days.”   Mara felt herself starting to blush. She has never received so many compliments at once before.

She cleared her throat before speaking. “Yeah, well, I took a self-defense class and learned kickboxing. I used to go to the gym to work out and practice almost every day. I loved it.” 

Yao smiled softly. He couldn’t help but admire her strength and dedication.

“I understand your eagerness to start again, however, your health is more important. You can’t perform at your best if you aren’t healthy.” He tells her in a scolding tone, but she could hear the concern behind his words. His face softened into a smile. “Besides, if the time ever comes for you to defend yourself again, you won’t be doing it alone.” He said it so casually, as if it were obvious. But Mara was struck dumb.

_That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me…_

Yao noticed her silence and her almost shocked expression. “Are you ok?”

She shook off her daze and smiled in what she hoped was in a convincing manner.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

Yao stared at her, obviously not believing a word she had said. She was worried he would ask her again, but thankfully he thought better of it and simply gave a shrug and sat back in his seat.

Yao knew that something was wrong. One of the things that happen when you live for four thousand years is that you gain the ability to read people, and he could tell without a doubt that something was wrong. Just like he knew she was keeping her distance from him, at least emotionally.

He had considered asking her further to find out was wrong. But then he realized something he hadn’t really considered before. 

She had to have had a life before they found her that night. Obviously, he  _knew_  that but he hadn’t really considered it before. When Arthur accidentally sent her to New York, she had to have come from somewhere. She must have her own family and friends. People who she cares about and care about her.

But she had never mentioned them, she never talked about her life before. She never once asked to call them or go back to them.

He sat back in his chair and decided to keep quiet. Whatever had happened to her, whatever life she came from, she would tell him when she was ready.

 

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Mara looked over to Yao to see him fast asleep.  _The jet lag must be hitting him pretty hard._  She smiled softly as she stared at him. She really did luck out when she got him as a soulmate, and not just because she already knew him. He was really sweet and kind to her. At first, she just thought he was scolding her, but she quickly saw the concern behind his words. He was just worried about her and that was something she wasn’t used to.  It was still a little awkward having someone constantly checking up on her, but it was…nice. 

Mara looked down at the phone Alfred had bought her before she left and saw just how late it was. She spent a few minutes searching around the plane, but she finally found some blankets and pillows in a small cabinet in the back. She carefully shifted Yao so he was laying down on the seat and placed a pillow underneath his head and covered him with a blanket.

 

She laid down in her own seat, all wrapped up in her own blanket and tried to get some sleep herself. Several minutes later she found herself staring up at the ceiling blankly.

Her thoughts were too loud to let her sleep.

 

This was all happening too fast. Sure, she technically had the last three weeks to deal with it, but she never really did. Magic, living Countries, Soulmates, and the looming prospect of immortality. Which one was she supposed to deal with first?

She didn’t know, how could anyone know? So she did what she always did. She pushed it all down, deep down so she didn’t  _have to_  deal with it.  She had kept herself busy so she didn’t have time to think. But now she didn’t have that luxury. She was sitting in silence across from the man she was meant to spend eternity with on a plane going to a place she never thought she was ever going to see again.

_Once we get there, it’s going to be hard to keep him from finding everything out._

She knew she should tell him everything, it was only fair. And it’s not like anything traumatic happened, except…

She felt a sharp pain shoot through her. Even after all these years, her sister’s death still hurt. She didn’t think it ever wouldn’t hurt. And if she was completely honest with herself (which she rarely was) she never wanted it to stop hurting. If it ever started hurting, that would mean she would be moving on and for Mara that felt like a betrayal to her memory. So in those rare quiet moments she had to herself, the night her sister died played through her mind. She clung to that pain as if feeling it meant she was able to keep her sister alive in some way, anyway she could.

 

Mara cursed out loud when she felt the tears well up.

_Shit, not now! I can’t, He’s right there. What if he wakes up? I can’t do this right now._

She took several deep breaths to steady herself and pushed her tears down like she did everything else with a silent promise to deal with it later. A promise she never kept.

 

Mara laid back in her seat and closed her eyes, desperately wishing sleep would take over so she wouldn’t have to deal with it, with any of it.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the comforting darkness of sleep carried her off.

Yao woke up first and is touched that Mara gave him a blanket and pillow when he was sleeping.  He has spent so much time alone, that he couldn’t remember the last time something like that has happened. Whenever he falls asleep at his desk or wherever he was working, he would usually wake up there and with a sore back. He looked over and saw that she was still fast asleep. His smile was wiped off his face when he caught sight of what looked like puffy eyes. Had she been…crying? He felt his heart twinge in response. He could tell she was upset before, but not enough to cry!  How could he have been so blind!

 

Mara blinked her eyes open and let out a loud shout when she saw a very concerned Yao staring at her a few inches away. “DUDE!” He immediately backed off and sat down. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Mara was still catching her breath. “It’s- whew- its ok.” She looked over at him and he was still staring at her. “Is, uh, is everything alright?” “I should be asking you that, aru.” Mara looked at him blankly. “What are you talking about? I’m fine.” He looked at her sadly. “Mara, it looks like you have been crying.” Her hands immediately went to her face and felt the slight puffiness around her eyes.  _Shit, was I crying in my sleep?_

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, it’s probably just allergies or something. I’m fine.” He obviously didn’t believe her and unlike before, he wasn’t going to let this go. If it was bad enough for her to cry about, she might need his help.

Unfortunately, this only seemed to make her uncomfortable.

“I’m fine, Yao.”

Mara, whatever it is, you can talk to me.”

“No.”

“Mara,”

“NO!”

He sat there in shock at her outburst. She took a deep breath before trying again.

“I’m sorry, but no. I can’t. Not yet.”

He was a little hurt that she felt like she couldn’t trust him yet, but he understood. Trust comes with time and no matter how much he wanted to help her, he couldn’t help her until she let him.

He sighed and nodded. “I understand. I’m sorry I pushed it.”

 _Why does he have to be so goddamn nice about it?_  Mara felt the guilt creeping up on her.

“No, it’s ok. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I just-” She sighed. “I’m not used to people worrying about me. I’m little messed up, but I just don’t know how to talk about it yet. I will, just not yet.”

 Yao still had a million questions running through his mind and his concern for her threatened to force them out, but the way she looked down at the table when she told him, the near panic he saw when he pushed the issue held him back. Obviously, something  _had_ happened to her, something to keep her from trusting people and no matter how much he wants to help her, he knew that there was no way he  _could_ help her if she didn’t want it. 

He reached across the table separating them and took her hands in his. “Whenever you are ready, I’ll be here.” 

Mara smiled gratefully and for a split second, she looked like she was going to cry. “Thank you, Yao. I promise I will tell you everything. Just, I just can’t deal with it yet. I’m sorry.”

Yao frowned and shook his head. “You have nothing to apologize for, aru.”

“Yeah, I do. You have been nothing but nice to me and I practically bit your head off and I can’t even tell you why because I’m just too damn pathetic to face it. You deserve much better than that.”  _Much better than me_.

She didn’t have to say it, they both knew that is what she meant. Yao’s grip on her hands tightened. “You are not pathetic. Everyone has problems, Mara. And everyone has their own way of dealing with them. Unless it’s destructive, there really isn’t a wrong way of dealing with it. You are my soulmate, problems and all. You are exactly who I ‘deserve’.”

He said it so confidently, so sure that it left Mara speechless. How could he be ok with everything, with her? How could he still want to be with her? He had to know that being with her wasn’t going to be easy, so why did he seem so determined to make them work?

 

Yao smiled sadly at her dumbstruck look and squeezed her hands one last time before letting them go. “For now, let’s just take things one day at a time. You can tell me anything, talk to me about anything, whenever you are ready. We don’t have to rush anything.

Another thing his long life had taught him was patience. And it seemed like he had an endless supply of it for her.

 

They had landed shortly after. He had opened the door of the waiting car for her before climbing into the driver’s seat.

Mara was silent for a while, their conversation from the plane and her feelings that went along with it weighed heavy on her mind. She had always liked him, had always felt close to him. She had assumed that it was just because he had been the one to take care of her that first week. He had been glued to her bedside, making sure she had everything she needed, only leaving her for sleep and to get her food.

It had bewildered her, she never had anyone take care of her before. Her parents weren’t exactly the loving type. If she was bringing home paychecks, they couldn’t care less what she did or what was going on with her. She had been suspicious. Surely, he wouldn’t be taking such diligent care of her if he didn’t want anything in return. She was certain he wanted something, but she just couldn’t figure out what.

 

She had been silent for most of the time she had been there, but the third day, she hadn’t said a word. Yao said nothing about it, taking care of her as usual, taking her distracted stares and slight nods in response to his questions in stride. It wasn’t until that night, as he was checking her over one last time before she went to sleep, that he had said anything about it.

“You have something on your mind.” He said as he was gently applying some kind of ointment to the bruises on her arms, not looking up from his tasks.

It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. It was obvious something was bothering her, there was no denying it.

She kept quiet for a few minutes, trying to put all her questions running in her mind in order. He didn’t press further, just kept busy and waited for her to respond.

It wasn’t until he had finished that she spoke.

“Why are you doing this?” She said in a soft voice. He finally looked up at her. “Doing what?” He asked, clearly confused at the question.

She gestured at herself, the ointments, the bandages, everything he had done to help her heal.

“This, all of it. Why are you taking care of me?”

He still looked confused. “Because you need help.” He stated, as if it were obvious.

She shook her head. “But you don’t know me, you have never met me before and I have nothing to give you in return.”

He stared at her, shocked at her statement. “I don’t need anything from you.” He said evenly. “It’s true, I didn’t know you before, but that doesn’t matter. None of us would be able to see someone who needed as much help as you did and be able to walk away, whether we knew them or not.” He seemed to change his mind. “Well, most of us, anyway. There are a few… questionable people. But none of them are here. And even they aren’t completely heartless to just leave them there.”

He shook himself from his thoughts. “The only reason they aren’t all piled in here trying to help is that out of all of us, I am the one with the most medical knowledge.” He chuckled. “That and those German brothers are parked outside your door to keep them out, so you can get your rest.”

Mara was speechless. She didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t want anything, none of them did. She hadn’t expected that. As if reading her mind, Yao continued. “The only thing I need from you is to get better.”

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but quickly let go when he felt her stiffen.

“Besides, now that we know that you are one of our soulmates, there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do to make sure you get better.”

 _That makes more sense._ She was relieved to know the real reason they cared so much, but she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.  _Come on,_ she mentally chided herself.  _Did you really think they cared for any other reason?_

He saw her troubled expression and took a step closer, careful to not touch her. “What is wrong?”

She smiled, sad with a little bitterness mixed in. “Nothing, I just…” she sighed. “Is that all I am to you all?” He stared at her until he figured out what she meant. “Do you mean…” He asked slowly. “Do you mean that you think we only see you as a soulmate, not a person?” She nodded. “Like my only worth is that I belong to one of you.” She said it as if it were a fact, no malice in her words.” He reached out and grabbed her hand in both of his, not letting go when she flinched. “That’s not it at all!” He said earnestly. “It is a big motivation, sure but…” He trailed off, trying to gather his thoughts. He continued in a soft tone. “You have to understand. We had only found out that we had soulmates just before you were lost to us, just before we could find out who would be paired with you.” His gaze dropped from hers and he squeezed her hand tighter. “Never, in our lives had we ever thought that we would get the chance, the honor, of having someone by our side. The only ones who could be each other, but that rarely happens without one having some ulterior motive. Even though we only just learned of our soulmates,” His voice almost cracked and she could hear the pain behind his words. “It feels like we have been waiting our whole lives for them. Some longer than others.” It was then Mara realized something she had never thought of before.

Even the youngest of the men in the room outside her door would be hundreds of years older than her. The man at her bedside was the literal personification of China, which would make him… she thought back to her history classes.  _Holy shit, he is four THOUSAND years old!_ And all of it, all four thousand years, would have been alone.

No wonder they are all caught up on her being one of their soulmates. She covered his hands with her other one. He looked back up at her, looking embarrassed to have shown such emotion in front of her. Before he could apologize, she spoke. “I understand.” He didn’t know if she was speaking of his explanation or the display of emotion. He had a feeling it was both.

They were silent for a while, nothing really needed to be said out loud.

She pulled her hands back first and this time he let them go. He stood, the moment, whatever it was, had gone. “I am glad you understand now. And that you are able to relax knowing that we only want you to get better.” She smiled. Not all her worried were sated, it wouldn’t have been that easy, but she was satisfied for now.

 

Mara eventually came out of her thoughts and looked out of the window to get her bearings. From the looks of it, they were halfway through the two-hour trip. She looked over at Yao to see him calmly focused on the road. She smiled. That was one of the things she really liked about him. He never really pushed her to talk if she didn’t want to, instead he simply waited for her to do it when she was ready. He caught her staring and smiled. “I’m glad you’re back.” He teased. His smiled dimmed. “Are you ok?”  She nodded. “Yeah, just thinking.” Silence. He was waiting to see if she wanted to continue. “I was thinking of the night we talked, that first week, do you remember?” He smiled. “Yes, I remember.” More silence, but none of it was awkward. “Thank you.” She said softly. He glanced at her before looking back ahead. “I should have said it then, but I didn’t. Thank you.” He shook his head. “You don’t have to thank me, Shǎguā.” (Fool, stupid, silly)

She wasn’t sure what he had called her but the half smile on his face and the teasing tone of his voice told her it wasn’t anything bad. Not that she would ever expect him to really insult her.

The words had the desired effect though, as the tension Mara had been feeling drained out of her in a rush.

Mara looked out of the window again and saw a familiar sight. She sat up straighter and couldn’t help the grin forming on her lips. Yao slowed down as they entered the small town Mara used to roam around with her sister when they were kids visiting their Grandparents for the summer. Nostalgia took over as she started pointing out everything she remembered from her childhood. Those few precious good memories came back to her in a rush. They passed by the used bookstore she had wasted days in, the movie theater she used to watch old reruns in, the small collection of clothing shops Michelle used to drag her into whenever she could, the ice cream stand her Grandpa would take them to on hot days and the seafood place her Grandma loved.

 

Yao sat there with a grin on his own face, his excitement stemming from hers. He knew he was seeing a new side of her. She was bouncing excitedly as she spotted something she remembered and spoke in a fast rush of words to tell him what she remembered. He noticed she kept referring to a ‘she’ and ‘Michelle’ saying that ‘we used to go there all the time.’ He tried to remember if she had ever mentioned a Michelle, but he didn’t think she had. Maybe Michelle was an old friend. If that were the case, maybe he would get to meet her, he wanted to know as much about Mara as he could. He wanted to know everything.

 

They made a quick stop at the farmer’s market and the butchers to get the fridge stocked with food. Mara couldn’t help but giggle at Yao’s obvious joy as he browsed the selection of freshly harvested foods.

She noticed that the old women who worked the stands did a double take as they saw her, obviously realizing she looked familiar, but none of them realizing that she used to be the shy little girl who helped her Grandma run her vegetable stand all those years ago. They all seemed to adore Yao, though. His cheerful smile and polite ways easily winning them over as they flocked around him and tried to push more of their food on him, offering small discounts much to his delight.

They somehow managed to make their way out with armloads of food and finished the rest of their journey to the house.

Once they reached the beginning of the property, marked by an old wooden fence with peeling black paint, Mara felt a rush of anticipation and nerves. She was happy to be back of course. This place held pretty much all the good memories she had from childhood. But she hadn’t been back since Michell’s funeral. She knew that she would have to take Yao to see them, the… her family. A part of her had hoped that she wouldn’t have to, that she could just pretend nothing had happened and they could just be happy in the secluded country house. Once they reached the front gate, however, Mara knew that would be impossible.

 

Yao noticed her change of mood once they passed the gate and followed the gravel road to the house.

The house itself was nice, not opulent but giving off a sense of warmth and cheer, like it was welcoming you back with open arms. Mara tried to hide her discomfort with a smile and showed him the house after they had put the food away. It was a nice house to be sure, but he was more worried about the grief in her eyes as she took in the furniture and the house as she walked room to room. It was when she had paused at the entrance to a side of the house she said was the master suite. She stopped in front of the arched opening and stared through it. Yao placed his hand on her shoulder and gently turned her to face him. “Mara.” His voice was soft, it made Mara want to cry at how much she could see that he cared for her. Her tears were held down by sheer force of will.

“This can’t be easy for you.”

Again, it wasn’t a question, it was a statement of fact. How he could see through her, right into her heart, still astounded her. Like always, the statement itself wasn’t a demand for answers, she knew that if she didn’t want to say anything about it, he wouldn’t press. But it was that, the fact he instinctually knew something was wrong with her, that made her  _want_ to open up to him, if only a little.

“It’s not. It’s not easy at all. I haven’t been here in years. The last time was…”

She trailed off. Was she ready to tell him? It wasn’t like she didn’t think he could take it, or that he wouldn’t comfort her for as long as she needed, he would without hesitation. She wasn’t sure  _how_  she knew, their relationship hadn’t extended beyond doctor/patient and maybe casual friendship until yesterday, when they found out they were destined for each other. Maybe it was their  _cosmic_  connection or whatever, but she just  _knew._ Maybe it was the way he radiated both steadfast strength and cheerful acceptance, but Mara just couldn’t help but trust him.

No, it wasn’t him that made her hesitate. It was herself. She just couldn’t trust herself to keep it together while telling him everything, telling him about  _her._  And frankly, she didn’t know if she was  _ready_ to face it, to face those cold headstones that reminded her just how alone she really was.

 

She had been silent for a while, like usual. And he was patient, like usual. When she finally gathered her thoughts and her courage, she reached up and took his hand from her shoulder, lacing her fingers with his.

“I want to show you something.”

He nodded and tried to suppress the little bubble of joy to feel her hand in his and let her lead him to the back door.

Whatever worries he had were temporarily brushed away as he took in the site before him.

It was beautiful, beyond imagining. A fairytale garden covering a substantial portion of the property. Rows and bushes of flowers of every color and type, trees with hanging vines and branches of small fragrant flowers and birds and butterflies fluttering to and fro.

“This is…amazing! Yōuměi!” (Beautiful)

Again, she didn’t know what he had said, but she could hazard a guess at the look of wonder on his face.

They walked slowly through the garden, hand in hand. They stopped at the fountain for a while, admiring the little finches playing in the water and again in the shade garden. They stood under the vine archways and he looked up and ran his fingers over the delicate white flowers.

They eventually found themselves at the end of the garden, the path narrowed and was almost overgrown. He turned to walk back, but she stopped him with a squeeze of her hand. He looked back at her confused. “What I wanted to show you is up ahead.” He still looked confused but followed her without question.

Every step was painful, her fear screaming at her to turn back, that it wasn’t too late. They could go back to the house and pretend that everything was ok. She didn’t have to face this right now.

But she kept walking, she had to stop running from this, from  _them_.

 

Whatever was up ahead had Mara spooked, that much he was certain. He almost wanted to tell her that whatever it was, they could do it later, when she wasn’t so freaked out. But underneath the almost panic look of her face was determination. She needed to see this through. When she finally stopped again, Yao felt his heart twinge. Before them lay three headstones. Two of them lay side by side and from the dates, he gathered they belonged to her Grandparents. Then he spotted another one, smaller and off to the side with only a name and a set of dates.

**_MICHELLE ROMERO_ **

**_1992-2008_ **

****

Underneath the neatly etched dates, there was a message that looked scratched in by hand in shaky lettering

_Beloved Sister_

Yao quickly did the math and felt his heart lurch. Michelle was her sister and had died when she was just 16.

Yao turned to her and moved to wrap his arms around her to offer some amount of comfort, but she shook her head and stepped back.

“I uh, I need a minute. I haven’t been here in, god, in almost ten years” Her voice hitched towards the end, telling him she was close to tears. He wanted nothing more than to help her, to hold her, talk to her, whatever she needed, but he stepped back and let her morn the way she wanted. He looked back to the headstones and saw while someone had been there to clean them, whoever it was hadn’t been there for a long time. He unbuttoned his red jacket and set it aside*, revealing a white undershirt. He knelt to the ground and began to pull the weeds that were growing around the edges and dusting off the leaves and dirt building upon the stones.

Mara watched him and the guilt made silent tears fall from her eyes. Here was this Man, this stranger to her family, caring for the headstones more than she ever had. She had let her grief and fear keep her from this place and as a result, she felt like she had neglected them. She was never religious other than a feeling of something  _other_ , so she never really believed in ghosts or an afterlife. But now that she was finally here, standing in front of her family, she knew that it didn’t really matter. It was more about honoring their memory than anything else.  She knelt to the ground beside him and began work on her sister’s.

“I’m sorry.” Whether she was talking to him or her sister, neither of them knew. Yao stopped what he was doing and pulled her into his arms, not giving her the chance to distance herself again.

She froze for a moment, then melted against him and buried her face into his neck. She did her best to hold back her tears, to hold onto some shred of dignity, but Yao wouldn’t allow that either. He brought a gentle hand to her head and whispered into her ear. “It’s ok Tiánxīn, it’s ok. You can let it go now.”

She sniffled, then shuttered, then the tears came, and she was sobbing. Repeating ‘I’m sorry’ over and over when she managed to catch her breath.

She wasn’t sure how long she was there, clutching his shirt and sobbing into his shoulder, but he never complained, just kept whispering soothing words in a mixture of Chinese and English.

Eventually, her sobs ceased, and her tears dried up. She looked up from his shoulder and he reluctantly let her go.

He smiled softly. “Better?”

She smiled back. How could she have gotten so lucky? What had she done to deserve someone like him?

“Much better.” 


	31. Greece's Route Chapter 2

Mara was starting to figure that spending an extended amount of time with Heracles would mean getting used to long periods of silence.

The plane had taken off around twenty minutes ago. As soon as they boarded, he had made his way to a comfortable looking bench seat that was sat in front of a small table. He laid back in the seat, his back resting on the side of the plane and his legs stretched out on the seat and closed his eyes.

She had chalked it up to jet lag. Flying halfway around the world only to get back into a plane again a few hours later had to be exhausting. But every time she had seen him, he looked like he was just a blink away from falling asleep where he stood.  _Then again, I have only seen him twice in my life. Once while I was delirious myself and the other just about an hour ago._ She tried to imagine him with a full night’s sleep and somehow, the image of him wide-eyed and energetic didn’t seem to suit him.

_While we’re on the subject…_

She looked him over again, this time without the shock and nerves of seeing him again. How was it possible that she was even  _more_  attractive every time she looked at him? The fact she found him attractive at all was a damn miracle. She had been close to considering herself to be Asexual if it weren’t for those two guys she had been with, one in her late teens the other in her early twenties. Even then though, she hadn’t found them to be hot or cute or whatever, she had just been lonely. She tried dating the first one. He had been nice enough, but she had such a low bar for ‘nice’ thanks to her parents. He talked to her, at least. It took her all of a month for her to allow him to convince her to sleep with him. Then he conveniently stopped liking her a week later. She found out later that was his M.O. Date, sex, ditch. She had been heartbroken. She had filled her head with those romance novels her sister left behind and had convinced herself that happily ever after’s were an actual thing.

The second time had been a drunken one-night stand on her twenty-first birthday, well after she had learned that happy endings belonged in books.

She had never been tempted to start another relationship since then, long-term or one-night stand. She just had never felt the  _urge_  or anything. Not once.

But as soon as she saw  _him…_  well,  _that_ was an experience. The first time she had truly wanted someone.

But desires aside, she was an adult and she had no desire to act on said desires until she got to know Heracles. Until- _if_ \- she fell in love with him. If he was supposed to be her soulmate, then he was her one and only chance at an  _actual_  happy ever after, and she was going to do it right.

She looked at him again. He acted nice enough, he wasn’t loud and overbearing like Alfred or acted too proper and high-class like Arthur. From what she had heard, he was the definition of easy going. Al had said that he spent his days digging up relics from his ‘mother’ and taking naps in the sun.

She knew there had to be more to him than that and she found herself curious to find out.

She sat back in her seat and sighed. Maybe she should try and get some sleep herself. God knows the silence was going to slowly drive her crazy. She settled into a comfortable position, let her eyes drift close and tried to clear her mind when a deep, but soft voice jerked her into a sitting position.

“Feel better?”

She looked over at the man across from her, his eyes were open in that half-lidded way that seemed to be the farthest they ever opened.

“You were awake the whole time?” She questioned. He really had looked asleep.

He shrugged. “For some of it.” He sat up. “You seemed like you needed some time to think.”

She was surprised that someone who looked like they were about to pass out any second could be so observant. She  _did_ feel much more relaxed. “Yeah, I guess I did. Thanks.” He offered a sleepy smile. “Good. I’m going to get some actual sleep now. Jet lag and all that.” He laid back down and promptly fell asleep. She sat there in mild shock. Had he really stayed awake just to make sure she was ok?

She had a hard time processing that. It was just so…

Sweet.

She wasn’t used to someone caring much about how she was doing, but this man who was practically a stranger seemed to. She laid back with a small smile on her face. It was weird, sure. But she liked it.

 

She woke with a start as the plane touched down, practically throwing her out of her seat. She must have slept through the pilot’s announcement.

She looked across the table and was actually impressed that Heracles had managed to still be asleep. She waited until they had come to a complete stop before reaching across and lightly touching his shoulder.

“Heracles? We’re here. It’s time to wake up.”

Nothing. She raised her voice.

Still nothing.

_No more Ms. Nice lady._

She stood and walked over to him, leaned over his tall frame and shook his shoulders, making his head fall to one side and  _finally_ jerking him awake.

“We’re here.” She explained. He nodded. She moved to stand up straight, but he sat up with her, keeping her hands on his shoulders and making sure the distance between them stayed the same. He looked nonchalant about it, but she couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes darted across her features before holding her gaze. His eyes were still only half open, but somehow, he didn’t look tired anymore. The look had…changed.

Before she could think too much about it, she stepped back and returned her hands to her sides.

“We should get going, it’s a two-hour drive to the house.”

She turned and walked off before he could respond or pull her into those eyes of his again.

 

The drive was mostly silent, with her giving him directions occasionally.

Once they approached the small town she had spent so much time in as a child, she perked up, pointing out her old favorite places absent mindedly, unsure if he was even paying attention.

 

Heracles was definitely paying attention; his every waking moment had been spent taking in all he could about her. She was nervous around him, but when he pulled his little stunt on the plane, he was happy to see she at least was attracted to him. She seemed to be unsure around him, always sending him sideways glances and even full-on starting at him when she thought he wasn’t looking as if she were trying to figure him out. He had thought that the next few days were going to be as awkward as their first official day together, but as soon as they reached a small town, she had relaxed and started talking to him. He was closely listening to every word she said. She had spent a lot of time at the used bookstore.  _She likes to read._  She had gone to the theater on the weekends with her grandparents.  _She likes old movies_. She used to take walks in the small park.  _She enjoys nature and alone time._

He was so busy trying to discover more about her that he almost missed the turn she told him to take into the farmers market.

He followed behind her, taking in her reactions to people and their reaction to her. She seemed hesitant around them, but not scared. They seemed to recognize her, but they never approached her about it.

_She didn’t hate people but wasn’t comfortable in large crowds._

His lips turned upward into a lazy smile. He was learning a lot about her already.

 

Heracles’ constant silence and watchful eyes had started to unnerve her. She had been wrong before. She had taken in his groggy look to mean he didn’t pay attention to the world around him, but she started to notice the way his eyes would dart around, seeming to take in everything carefully.

She sighed, and they got back into the car, more silence.

She never was one for idle chit-chat, but this was ridiculous. How was she supposed to get to know the man well enough to fall in love with him if they couldn’t even hold a damn conversation?

“So, um, what’s your home like?”

He glanced at her. “Do you mean my house or my country?” She shrugged. “Both I guess. I’ve never left the country before so I’m a bit curious.”

He thought about the question for a while before answering.

“My house-our house- isn’t anything fancy. It is a little large because I need room for all the cats, but it’s mostly functional.” “Alfred said you had a lot of cats. How many do you have?”

“I don’t own them, they all come and go as they please. I just provide food for them and a place to sleep whenever they want it.” Mara found herself smiling. “That’s very kind of you. Most people are either scared or disgusted by strays. Sometimes both.” He glanced at her again. “I found that they are usually more scared of us than anything. Most of them have been hurt by people before, so it makes sense. But I found that patience and kindness is the best way to get them to trust you.” Mara wasn’t sure if he was talking about the cats still or not. Maybe a little of both.

“I have a lot of patience.” He continued. She found herself smiling again.

“My country,” He went back to answering her question. “It is beautiful.” She looked over at him and saw a faraway look in his eye. “The sky and sea go on forever. My mother’s history seems to bleed from the land itself, enriching our culture and people.”

“I have heard people mentioning your mother a lot lately. Who was she?” He looked as if he was shocked she hadn’t guessed. “My mother was Ancient Greece. I am the personification of Modern Greece.”

Mara had a million questions but stopped herself when she saw the sadness in his eyes.  _In order for him to even be here, she would have had to die…_

She felt like her eyes had been opened a little wider. She had spent most of her life, hell pretty much all of it, so wrapped up in her own suffering and pain that she never really gave a thought to the pain of others. She wasn’t numb to it, but she had never actually thought about it. It had never occurred to her that others could be suffering and hurting just as much as she was, if not worse.

She felt a pain in her chest as she thought of that flicker of his own pain in Heracles’ eyes.

She didn’t realize it, but she had already taken the first step to dealing with her own issues by opening her heart to the pain of others. It was still a long road, but it was a step.

 

They talked the rest of the way, not much, but more than the long silences from before. He told her little things about his home, their home, and answered any questions she had.

He couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face with every one of her questions. She seemed to have opened just a little more and was expressing interest in his country, her new home.

She seemed to relax more and more the closer they got to the house that by the time they reached the front gate of the property, she was grinning.

 

As they pulled up to the side of the house, Mara could feel a wave of peace wash over her. This place always did that to her. She looked over to Heracles when they were carrying the food up to the house and was happy to see that lazy smile of his as he took everything in.

Once the food was put away, she gave him a quick tour of the place and pointed out where he would be sleeping.

He walked around the large room talking in the old, well-kept furniture and soft white carpet under his feet. He smiled appreciatively at the large bed with the dozen or so pillows decorating it. He stopped in front to the large window, reaching from floor to ceiling and framed by opaque white curtains. He finally turned to Mara, who stood almost nervously in the doorway. He caught her eye and smiled gently. “It is beautiful. He noticed the look of relief and figured that she had been worried that he wouldn’t like the house.

He walked over to her and reached for her hands, stroking the backs of them with his thumbs. “You don’t have to worry about my approval. This place could have been a hovel and I would have been ok with it.” Her brows scrunched together with confusion. “Why?” “Because this is the happiest I have seen you so far. It suits you.”

 

Mara could only stare at him. He was nice, so goddamn kind to her and she didn’t fully understand why. Was he like this to everyone? Or just every female? Was this a kind of flirting? She had no idea, she was inexperienced with that kind of thing and for once she cursed herself for it.

_Maybe he is just nice to you, for no reason. Maybe he was just a nice person._

She wasn’t totally jaded, she knew there were nice people in the world. She just hadn’t met a lot of them.

She looked down to their hands. His were so much larger than hers and they were so rough, but they held hers with such gentleness, as if he was afraid he would break them. She looked back up into his eyes and felt a tightening in her chest. It was getting hard to breathe and she knew it had something to do with his eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to look away. She had never felt this way before and it kind of scared her.  _This is too much. Too much too fast._

She pulled her hands from his and stepped back. She cleared her throat and tried to act a nonchalant as possible. “Well if you like this, then you’ll love the garden.”  She turned and walked away, again, before she could get caught up in his eyes again, in  _him_.

He followed silently, making sure to keep a few paces behind her.  _She is uncomfortable with people being close to her. Maybe I should back off a little._

His thought process screeched to a halt when she opened the back door and showed him the garden. It was breathtaking. Rows and bushes of flowers lined a path that winded through flowering trees and bird baths, a fountain and vine archways. He could hear birds singing and saw butterflies fluttering from flower to flower.

“Who takes care of all this?” She smiled to herself at the awe in his voice. “Friends of my grandparents. They do an excellent job, but no one is as good as my Grandma was. She did all this from scratch.”

He raised an eyebrow and looked down at her. “By herself?” Mara nodded proudly. Her grandparents were hard workers. They managed to take care of the entire property by themselves up until the day they died.

She hesitated for a few moments, then nervously took his hand. He tried not to react to surprised, he didn’t want to scare her off, but that little action filled him with a kind of warmth and brought a smile to his lips. She led him through the garden. He made sure to keep some distance between them at first so she wouldn’t feel crowded, but after a few minutes, she had drifted closer to him without realizing it.

 

By the time they reached the shade garden, a section of the garden covered with vine archways and small white flowers, Heracles felt his eyes drifting closed. For once, he didn’t really want to take a nap just yet. He was having too much fun spending time with Mara. But for the life of him, he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

He found a comfy looking spot and pulled on her hand to get her to stop.

“Is everything ok?” He nodded and sat down on the thick grass and leaned back on an oak tree.

He did all he could to keep his eyes open, but Mara could see that he was tired. Her lips twitched into a smile. “Nap time again?” He nodded.

“We could go back inside if you want.” He shook his head.

“Outside is better.” He said with a yawn.

Mara stood there awkwardly. Should she just go back inside? It felt kind of rude to just leave him outside. But she just couldn’t just stand here.

Before she could make up her mind, Heracles pat the spot next to him. Mara sat down with an amused shake of her head. She had to stop assuming he was asleep.

She leaned back against the thick trunk and sighed.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I thought you were going to sleep?” She teased.

He waved her joke off “I’ll get there. Answer the question.”

She sighed again. She felt herself getting more comfortable around him and she had to admit it was kind of nice.

“I used to spend a lot of time out here as a kid. We would come up here every summer and stay for a few weeks. If I wasn’t at the bookstore, I was running around the garden. Sometimes, after I would help my grandparents around the property, I would fall asleep out here.”

He recognized the bittersweet tone in her voice.

“You miss them, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” She took a few moments to calm herself.

“I haven’t been out here in years. It’s nice, but…” She trailed off.

“It’s the memories.” He finished for her.

She nodded. She took a shaky breath. “I didn’t know it would be this hard, you know?” He nodded.

He knew. Gods, he knew all too well.

 

There was more to tell him, she knew. She would have to tell him about her sister soon. He wouldn’t be able to stay here and not notice the other little girl in all the pictures hanging up. And eventually, she would end up telling him about her parents. She knew this, but didn’t feel pressured to spill it all at once, and she felt like he wouldn’t mind her taking her time. She hesitated, but for not as long, before she placed her hand over his. He flipped his hand over and laced their fingers together. They didn’t turn to look at each other, so they didn’t catch the smile on each other’s faces. 


	32. Prussia's Route Chapter 2

Mara woke to the pilot’s announcement that they were about to descend. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to sit up, only to be prevented by an arm that was wrapped around her waist.  While she had been sleeping, Gilbert had apparently moved them so they were both laying out on the seat. He lay behind her and held her tightly against him. His grip was loose at first, but the more she moved, the tighter it became. Mara eventually gave up and simply rolled over to face him, only to be met with a face full of his chest. He mumbled in his sleep and tightened his hold on her even more. Mara grunted in frustration and managed to wiggle her way up until she was face to face with him. Her budding annoyance melted away as soon as she saw his sleeping face. Now that his sharp, mischievous red eyes were closed, his entire face seemed to change. Gone also was his trademark smirk, leaving in its wake a soft, peaceful, expression. Innocent, even, if she didn’t already know him. The plane started to slowly decrease its altitude, pulling her from her daze. “Gil?” She softly called out. He didn’t respond to her whispered attempt to wake him. “Gil?” She said again in her normal voice. He murmured again but stayed asleep. Mara contemplated shouting in his ear, but she got another look at his sweet, sleeping expression. Instead, she ran her fingers through his surprisingly soft silvery hair and called his name again. “Gil? Hey, it’s time to wake up.” He started shifting, so Mara continued to run her hand through his hair. He finally blinked his eyes open. As soon as his eyes landed on hers, Mara’s hand stilled, staying on the back of his head. Those garnet eyes seemed to see into her very soul, making her heart speed up a little and she couldn’t decide if it was from fear or…something else. He smiled once he saw it was her that woke him up. “Guten Morgen, kleiner vogel.”  (Good morning, little bird) He said groggily. Mara blushed a little as she was starting to realize just how close their faces were. She sat up to put some distance between them and stretched, emitting a small squeal. “We’re just about there.” He sat up with his legs on either side of her, her back pressed up against his chest. He almost wrapped his arms around her again, knowing it would get her to blush, but then he remembered his friend’s warning from before. He instead moved his legs so he was sitting next to her and gave her some space. He had been too caught up in his own excitement the day before to notice, but now that he had calmed down, he had realized that, while never outright rejecting him, Mara seemed to go stiff and hesitate every time he went in for a hug, or even touch her.  _Could it be she doesn’t want me to do that stuff and is just too shy to tell me? No, that can’t be it._  He recalled seeing her face close to his when he woke up and her fingers in his hair. Being the unapologetic blunt person he is, he decided to just ask her. “Hey, frau?” Mara turned to him with a small smile and hummed in response. “Are you ok with me hugging you and stuff? Because I can stop if that’s what you want.” Mara was slightly taken aback by his direct question, but no too much. She had received similar treatment from him while their relationship was entirely phone based. “Uh, I don’t really have a problem with it, no. Why do you ask?” He looked relieved, but then confusion clouded his face again.  _Ahh, so he noticed._ Mara knew the plane was going to touch down in a few minutes, so thankfully she didn’t have time to go in depth. “I’m just not used to that stuff yet. I was kind of a loner growing up. Ok, a huge loner. And once I graduated, that kind of carried over. Remember? I told you I have never even had a boyfriend before.” Gilbert nodded and Mara relaxed, thinking that he had bought her watered down version of events. But Gilbert knew there had to be more to the story. He had been around for a while, and while he wasn’t the most mature person, he knew all about people. He felt a little twinge of disappointment that she didn’t trust him completely yet, but knew that he had to be patient. She would tell him when she was ready.

 

 

Once the plane landed, Gilbert was able to quickly rent a car, though he was disappointed they didn’t have any ‘awesome’ ones.  They made their way to the countryside in a black standard sedan that was a few years old. Conversation flowed easily between them, as it always had, during the two-hour drive. Once they reached the small town that preceded the stretch of farmland and fields where her Grandparent’s house resided, Mara started pointing out everything that she remembered from her childhood. “Oh! That’s where they held the fair when I was 6! Oh cool! The flea market is still there! And the seafood place! They make the BEST crab ever!” Gilbert had given up trying to look at everything she was pointing out to him, apparently almost every building held some kind of memory. Instead, he just watched her in amusement as she practically bounced in her seat in excitement. “Oh! There’s the butchers! Oh, cool! They moved the farmer’s market next to it. That’s convenient! Hey, we should pull in and get some stuff for the house.” Gilbert happily pulled into the butcher shop, he always preferred getting his meat from a butcher than in a grocery store.

Mara smiled when they got inside.  _It hasn’t changed a bit._  She walked hand in hand with Gilbert as he walked to the counter and started telling the butcher what he wanted. The elderly man nodded and walked into the back to get their order, then another man, middle-aged, walked towards them. “Hey y’all! How are you today? I haven’t seen you here before, y’all new in town?” Mara smiled at the somehow familiar man. “Kinda. I used to visit my grandparent’s here every summer, but I haven’t been back in years.” The man looked at her carefully, as if he was trying to place where he knew her. “Michelle? Is that you?” Gilbert, who had only been half paying attention, quickly tuned into the conversation when he felt Mara grow stiff next to him. “Uh, no. I’m Mara.” The man laughed, seemingly unaware of Mara’s change in mood. “Sorry about that! I never could tell you two apart. I’m Dave, remember? I used to work here on the weekends when y’all were kids!” Mara tried to relax and hoped that Gilbert wasn’t listening. “Dave! Oh right, yeah, I remember! Wow, you still work here huh?” He laughed. “Yeah, ain’t much work to find here in town. Besides, I own it now.” The elderly man returned with their order, thankfully giving Mara an escape from the conversation. “You own it? That’s cool!  Well, we should get going now, but it was nice to see you again!” Dave waved. “You too! Hey, bring Michelle with you next time! It’ll be like a reunion!” Mara tried to give a convincing smile and practically dragged Gil out of the door. 

Gil was quiet until they got done with the farmer’s market and were sitting in the car. Mara was grateful for the time to collect herself and calm down. It was obvious that Gil had heard the conversation and Mara had resigned herself to the fact that she would have to tell him about everything she had been keeping back sooner than she had originally planned. “Mara?” She stiffened in her seat. He almost never called her by her name, usually referring to her in various German pet names.  “Who is Michelle?”  Mara couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She knew he was looking at her with a soft, comforting expression and she knew once she saw the concern in his eyes, she would spill the whole story  _and_  several bucket loads of tears. “Not to be rude, but not now, Gil. I’ll… I’ll tell you once we get to the house. I’ll tell you everything.” She replied softly. Gil wished she would look at him, he wished he could pull her into his arms and hold her and take away the pain he saw in her profile and the unshed tears he heard in her voice. He recognized what incredible loss looked like, having seen it and felt it himself many times. It was because of this that he silently turned on the car and continued the journey to the house. Sometimes, people needed time before they were comfortable sharing their emotions, so time is what he would give her. He reached over and held her hand, giving it a small squeeze.  _I’m here for you_. Mara squeezed back.  _Thank you._

 

The rest of the drive was silent. Mara started to perk up a little when she saw the fence with peeling black paint that surrounded the property. “Turn in at the gate.” Gilbert did as she instructed and peaked over at her. He was relieved to see a small smile on her face.

Mara couldn’t help feeling relaxed as they pulled into the drive. This place had an almost magical quality to it. No matter what had been going on in her life, it all melted away as soon as she passed through those gates. They drove for about a minute before the house came into view. It was just as she remembered. A single story white house with a wraparound front porch, square pillars, ferns and rocking chairs. The small patch of woods was a little thicker than the last time she was here, and the lemon and orange trees were bigger and full of fruit. Mara apparently zoned out, because the next thing she knew, Gilbert had opened her door and was standing with his hand out for her to grab. “You ready, Kleiner vogel?” Mara smiled and gave a small nod before grabbing his hand. He pulled her up and straight into him so he could finally hold her. The sudden action startled her, but she eventually relaxed into his embrace. “Thank you.” He smiled and slowly stroked the back of her head. “You know you can always rely on me, right?” She nodded into his chest. “Good. It would be totally unawesome if you didn’t.” Mara giggled, which was the reaction he was looking for. She reluctantly stepped away, this time with a smile on her face. “Come on, I’ll show you around.”

The interior was large and spacious, but still cozy. He cared more that Mara was growing more relaxed as she showed him the various rooms, the smile on her face getting wider.

She stopped at the back door and looked back to him. “You ready?” “For what?” She grinned and opened the door wide. His jaw almost dropped to the floor. “Das ist erstaunlich! (this is amazing!)”  She led him outside to her Grandma’s garden. “Who did all this?” Mara smiled with pride. “My grandma. She was a Master Gardener. She even went to college for it. She did this whole garden from scratch.” For once in his life, Gilbert didn’t know what to say. All around him were flowers of varying types and hues, he could hear the sound of a nearby fountain, chirping birds, and he saw the occasional butterfly flying from flower to flower. “This is amazing!”

Mara led him through the garden, passing by a fountain, a bird bath, a white stone bench and a section covered with ivy archways. Mara led him off of the main path on to a smaller one, almost completely overgrown. “Where are we going frau?” “While my Grandma did the main garden by herself, she reserved this small spot for us to work on together.” The path opened up to a smaller garden with three sections, all overgrown. Mara looked at the garden sadly. She had hoped that the garden would have survived, but it looked like it had suffered years of neglect. “Why is this one worse that the rest?” “A few of their old friends have been coming over to take care of the garden, I guess they didn’t know about this part.” Before Gilbert could say anything else, Mara led him back to the main path. The sight of her small, neglected garden hurt worse than she would have thought. Soon, they came upon the end of the garden and the beginning of the woods. Mara stopped at the tree line and stood to the side. Gilbert looked at her in confusion. Her head was downcast. “Engel? What’s wrong?” Mara was silent for a few moments before she answered. “Gil, meet my Grandparents.” He looked down and saw two headstones side by side and another off to the side. It was simple, only bearing the name “Michelle Romero’ and the dated of birth and death. He looked up at her curiously, not yet connecting the dots. Mara saw the question in his eyes and answered sadly. “This is Michelle. My sister. My twin.” She said the last part in a whisper. Gilbert looked at her in shock. Now her conversation with the man at the butcher’s made sense.

_“Michelle? Is that you?”_

_“Uh, no. I’m Mara.”_

_“Sorry! I never could tell y’all apart!”_

He reached out to hold her but she shook her head and took a step back. “Mara?” She shook her head again. “Not yet. There is more, and if you hug me now, I’ll never get the rest out.” Gilbert felt a pain in his chest. There was so much anguish in her voice. He wanted to take away her pain so badly, he would do anything at this point just to see her smile again. But in spite of the pain in her voice, her back was straight and her shoulders squared. As if she was holding back her tears with sheer willpower. She had the aura of a fighter. He lowered his arms and waited for her to continue.

Mara took a steadying breath before she spoke. “I guess I should start at the beginning. My parents never wanted kids, but my mother got pregnant anyway. After she had me and Michelle, she took care of us for the first few years, but I guess after a while she got sick of us. Once we could use a step stool to reach the microwave, she started going out to bars and casinos with our father again. After that, it was almost like we didn’t exist. It stayed that way until we turned 16, once we could get jobs. They made us go job hunting on our birthday. Once we started getting paychecks, they paid attention to us. It wasn’t always the good kind, but it was something. Michelle had never really put up with it, but I was just happy for the attention. Even after we figured out they only wanted the money so they could use it for beer and gambling, I didn’t really care. At least they talked to us again. Around the same time, Michelle and I started making plans to move in with our grandparents. They always said that we could stay with them whenever we wanted. But for some reason, our parents never let us come more than a few weeks out of the summer. Before we could go through with our plan, both of our grandparents got sick. They died within a week of each other. Shortly after that, Michelle went to a party with her friends. Our parents didn’t care what we did, as long as we kept bringing home money. She stayed out pretty late since it was a weekend. She got separated from her friends on the way back, and this guy cornered her in an alleyway.” Mara had to pause. She could already feel the tears coming. “He was pretty tweaked out, and he was asking for money. She was reaching in her bag to get her wallet when he shot her. I guess he thought she had a weapon or something.” Mara’s voice broke. She was fighting a losing battle, so she tried to at least finish her story before she broke down. “He left her to die in the alleyway. After that I shut down. I didn’t try to leave anymore. What was the point? Everyone who cared about me was dead. I had nowhere to go. Then I got transported to New York, I called my parent’s for help, but they said that they didn’t need me anymore. I no longer had anyone, no one wanted me. I didn’t have a place to call home. I was alone.” She couldn’t go any further. She kept her head down to keep herself from looking at Gilbert. She knew that as soon as she did, she was going to break down. “Mara.” “Yeah?” “Look at me.” She couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t want to see that he pitied her. He reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm. “Mara.” He said softly. He tilted her head up to look at him. Her breath caught in her throat. There was no pity there, only an intense emotion she was too scared to place. She couldn’t handle that intense burning she saw in his fiery red eyes. Not yet. “You aren’t alone anymore, mein engel.” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “It’s ok to cry, mein shatz (sweetheart)  It’s not a weakness. Everyone needs to cry sometimes. And you have more than your fair share of reasons.” “Do you cry?” She asked in a small voice. He nodded. “When I do it, though, they are manly, awesome tears. But still, don’t tell anyone.” Mara couldn’t help but chuckle at that. He brought up his other hand to hold the other side of her face, cradling it in his large palms. “I’ll always be here if you need me. So it’s ok. Just let go.” Mara tried to keep herself in control, she really did. But there was something about him, about that emotion she saw in his face that finally broke down the wall she had built around herself over the years. It came crumbling down in an instant. She leapt in to him, her arms wrapping themselves tightly around his torso. He held her tight to him and the sobs wracked her body. “Shh, shh, mein engel. It’s ok. I’m here, engel, I’m here.” He whispered comforting things to her as he gently rubbed circles on her back. She cried for every time her parents looked right through her, for every day she had to live without her sister, every time she tried to reach out to someone, only to get left alone again. She cried for every tear she never let herself cry before. Neither of them knew how long they were there for, it didn’t matter. Mara couldn’t stop herself if she tried and Gilbert would hold on for as long as she needed him to.

Eventually, the tears slowed, and her breathing started to even out. Her sobs quieted to the occasional sniffle. The tears finally stopped altogether, but Mara didn’t really want to let go of him yet. “Thank you, Gil.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “You don’t need to thank me, shatz.” Mara pulled away from him slightly so she could look at him. “Seriously, Gil. Thank you for everything. You have cared for me since we first met, you are always looking out for me, always taking care of me. And that’s the first time… no one but Michelle…” she started to choke up again and she grew frustrated.  _Geeze, when did I become such a crybaby?_  As if reading her mind, Gilbert chuckled. “Remember, you don’t have to try and hold it in around me, ok?” Mara gave him a weak smile and nodded her head. He gave her one last squeeze before he stepped away. “Now, what do you say we get inside and I’ll make us an awesome meal?” Mara giggled and reached for his hand. “I’d say that would be awesome.” He laughed. “Now you’re getting it, frau!”  

 

By the time Gilbert finished making their early lunch and they finished eating it, it was early afternoon. They stood side by side in front of the sinks, Gilbert washing and Mara drying and putting away. They were chatting away like always. While Mara had her back turned to him so she could put away a plate, she felt cold water slash on her. Not only a few drops either, it was almost as if… Mara turned and saw Gilbert innocently washing the dishes.  _Hmm…_  Mara glared at his profile. She reached for another plate and turned to put it away when she felt another shot of water to her back. This time she jerked back to him and caught him in the process of trying to put back the spray nozzle. He looked up and laughed. Mara smirked.  _Two can play that game._  He saw her expression and his laughter died into a nervous chuckle. Mara reached into the sink and pulled out a cup of water and splashed it on his face. He sputtered and looked at her again, this time sporting his own smirk. “This means war, frau.” Her smirk grew. “Bring it on.”

Mara quickly grabbed a plate and used it for a shield as she filled up several glasses of water. Unfortunately, Gilbert was close to her so all he had to do was raise his arm a bit and he got her in the face. Mara quickly retaliated with a barrage of cups to his face. He didn’t have a shield, so all of her shots were hits. But, eventually, Mara ran out of cups and had to reload. Gilbert used her distraction to his advantage and jerked the plate from her hands. As she turned to grab it back, her footing slipped. She grabbed onto his shirt for support, but the floor was covered in water and Gilbert lost his footing as well. He dropped the spray nozzle and quickly wrapped his arms around her so she would land on him and not the hard floor. Then he tucked his chin so he wouldn’t smack the back of his head. He landed with a hard thump and felt the wind get knocked out of him a bit. Mara immediately looked up to make sure he was ok. She saw him grinning and she relaxed. “Are you ok?” She asked, just to be sure. He nodded. “Of course I am! My awesome victory is still intact!” Mara scoffed. “Victory?! Bullshit!  If anything, that was a draw!” He looked at her incredulously. “Draw?! No way, Frau! I won that fair and square! I took your shield and you fell!” Mara grinned. “But  _you_  are the one on the floor.” Gilbert frowned, but he laughed soon after as he saw a look of victory on Mara’s face. “Fine, engel, fine. It’s a draw” Mara grinned and got to her feet. “That doesn’t mean you won, frau.” He reminded her as he rose to his feet. Mara giggled. “Well, it’s better than you winning and me loosing!” He chuckled and shook his head. His frau obviously had a competitive streak. Mara looked around the now messy kitchen and sighed. “It’s going to take forever to clean this up.” “You get changed. I’ll clean up.” “You sure?” He nodded. “I started it.” He said with a shrug. Mara thanked him and went off to her room to get out of her now wet clothes.

In spite of the large mess, Gilbert was an efficient and thorough cleaner, so the kitchen was spotless in a matter of minutes. And it might have even ben cleaner than when they got there. He changed into grey sweat pant and a tight-fitting black t-shirt. He looked down the hall and saw that Mara’s door was open. He peaked inside to figure out what was taking her so long and froze as soon as he got a good look at her room.

 

Mara had changed into gray baggy basketball shorts and a loose-fitting black Misfits shirt and was in the process of hanging up her clothes in the closet. She turned to put the last few hangers away when she saw Gilbert staring at the room from the doorway. “Gil? Everything ok?” He looked back at her with a stern expression. “Why is your room smaller than mine?” “Uhh… because you’re… the…guest?”  Mara didn’t understand why he was upset. Of course she would give him the better room. It was in her nature to take care of others more than herself.  “Frau, I can’t stay in a room as nice as mine while you stay in a room barely bigger than a closet.” Mara rolled her eyes. “It’s cramped, sure, but it’s bigger than a closet. I don’t need a lot of space. Besides, where else would I sleep?” “With me, of course!” He replied without hesitation. Mara felt her face turn bright red.  _He can’t mean… no. Come on, girl, get your head out of the gutter._  Gilbert saw how embarrassed she was getting and he laughed. “Don’t worry, frau. That’s not what I meant. I just meant sharing a bed, to actually sleep.” He couldn’t help himself, he walked over to her and pulled her close to him and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Unless you would want to do more than just sleep, mein engel.” Mara quickly stepped away and swatted his arm. “Stop messing with me!” He laughed and held his hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine, I’ll stop. But seriously, kleiner vogel, you should stay in my room with me. I just want you to be comfortable.” Mara looked at him as if she doubted him, although she already knew her answer. She was just trying to get him back. “Hmmm, I’m not sure. You promise to not try anything while I’m sleeping?” Gill looked at her shocked. “I would never do anything like that to you, mein engel! I thought you knew that by now.” He saw her face and he chuckled. “Ok, I see how it is, very funny. You had me worried for a second.” Mara broke out in giggles and stepped forward to give him a hug. “I trust you, Gil. I’ll move my things to your room, well, our room.” He smiled and hugged her back.  _If only she knew the reputation I had before I met her…. she would have never trusted me enough to share a bed._ He held her tighter.  _I will never go back to the way I was, mein engel. From the moment I met you, I was already yours._

 

That night, they lay side by side in the bed. Mara had never shared a bed with a man before and was unsure what to do. Sensing this, Gilbert held out his arm so she could snuggle close and use it as a pillow. “Come here, engel.” Mara happily complied and cuddled close to him. He was laying on his side, so when she settled near his chest, he loosely draped his other arm over her, surrounding her in his comforting warmth. 


	33. Germany's Route Chapter 2

Mara stayed tucked into his side for a while but then shifted farther away as she saw his poor face getting redder by the minute.  _He’s doing it again. He is doing something he isn’t comfortable with for my sake._ She toyed with the idea of calling him out on it again, the fact that a man more than half a foot taller than her and three times as wide blushed so easily was  _beyond_  adorable. But she decided to have pity on him and reign in her new -and surprising- teasing nature she seemed to be developing around him.

She wasn’t one to start conversations, let alone flirt or tease good looking men. She usually kept her head down and minded her own business. Ludwig seemed to be bringing out a new side of her, however, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. How could she be so affected by a person she barely met? Soulmate or not, it was strange.

She realized she had been zoning out as soon as she felt one of his large hands cover her own. She looked down and realized she had been absentmindedly tracing designs on his arm. 

“Are you ok?” He kept his voice low since he was right next to her, but all that did was make it a low rumble that for some reason, made her heart do a flip-flop in her chest.

She took her hand away and smiled up at him. “Yeah, just lost in thought.” She gently unwrapped his arm from around her and sat on the seat across from him. She caught his confused look. “It’s easier to talk to you this way. I won’t have to keep looking up all the time.” She explained. He seemed to accept this answer and simply nodded.

The silence stretched between them and Mara tried to convince herself it wasn’t awkward, even though it was. She didn’t mind silences, she actually preferred them to the idle chit-chat that other people seemed to love. But she could barely bring herself from looking up from the hole she was burning into the table. When she did, she saw him doing the same.  _This is ridiculous. He’s too shy to start a conversation and I lack the damn social skills. Great start to a relationship._

Mara cleared her throat and tried to think of  _anything_  to start a conversation.

“Um, so-” “I was-”

They spoke at the same time. It seems they both had the same idea.

They glanced up at each other and chuckled. “You can go first.”

Mara shook her head. “No, it’s ok. What were you going to say?”

He smiled at her again before continuing. “I was wondering if you could tell me more about yourself. If we are supposed to ah-” He nervously cleared his throat. “Have a relationship, I thought that it would be best if we tried to get to know each other.”

He seemed to grow a little more nervous when she laughed to herself.

“Sorry, it’s just that I was going to ask you the same thing.”

She tried to keep up her cheery front as his question sunk in.  _He wants to know more about me, which makes sense, but how can I talk about me without talking about…everything else. We may be soulmates, but I don’t think I’m ready to tell him everything just yet._

She was silent for a few moments before she settled on what to say.

“There really isn’t much to say about me. I chose not to have a lot of friends as a kid. I always preferred to be alone since I tend to be awkward around people I don’t know. I’ve been working since I was 16, so my life was school, work, and home until I graduated. My… My family isn’t well off, so I couldn’t afford college and I couldn’t get a scholarship. I thought about just taking the student loan route, but the idea of spending the rest of my life in debt didn’t appeal to me. I worked two jobs for a while, but then I got lucky. I heard that a manager at a fairly successful company was looking for a new assistant. I knew I didn’t really stand a chance without a degree, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. He told me right off the bat that I probably wouldn’t get a call back since I never went to college, but I guess he changed his mind. He gave me a chance and I proved myself. I worked there for two years when the company started going under. He kept me on for as long as he could, but eventually, he had to let me go.

That was a month before I showed up in New York.”

She gave a sad half smile. “There really isn’t much else to say about me. Most of my life was focused on work. I’m afraid I’m not very interesting.”

Ludwig had to disagree. If anything, her story endeared her to him a little more. He admired her work ethic, although it was upsetting that she made it sound like there was no one to miss her back home. Except…

“What about your family?”

She tried to hide her wince.  _Great, how am I going to blow this one over?_

“Uh, well, my parents and I were never close, and I never had much of an extended family.”  _Anymore._

“Not close?”

She shrugged and tried to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. “That’s just how my family is. We don’t do get-togethers or family holidays or Christmas cards.”

He frowned at that. “That sounds depressing.”

She shrugged again. “Well, you can’t choose your family.”

He decided to drop it. Despite her best efforts, he could see she was growing uncomfortable.

“Anyway, it’s your turn.” He raised an eyebrow. “My turn?”

“Yeah, tell me about you.” “Ahh, yes.” He thought for a minute. “I guess you could say we are similar. I spend a lot of my time working, both at home and at an office. My friend circle is small, but that has never really bothered me.”

“Do you have any hobbies?”

“Well, I have dogs. Three of them, actually. Most of my off time is spent with them. I do have a lot of room for the dogs to run around, so I also spend a lot of time working outside to maintain it. I do enjoy it though. I also like to bake.”

“Well, I like to cook. Looks like we are going to make a hell of a team in the kitchen.” He laughed, actually laughed. It was deep, and his face was spread in a wide grin. Mara felt all the air escape her lungs as she watched him. He was truly a man of many sides. He was a tall, built, imposing man with harsh eyes, but blushed and got flustered easily. He came off as stoic but had the most wonderful laugh she had ever heard.

_What is he doing to me?_ She questioned as she rubbed her chest, trying to ease her erratic heart.

He finally calmed down. “Sorry, but that is the first time anyone has said that. When anyone comes to me, it’s either to go out drinking with them or to help them with their work.”

She chuckled. “Well I can usually keep track of my work pretty well and I don’t really drink.”

He actually looked concerned at that. “You don’t like to drink?”

She shook her head. “I don’t mind it, I have before, I just don’t like to do it that much. When I do, I never drink enough to get drunk.”

“Well I hope you won’t be bothered by it, but I do drink often. I  _am_ Germany, I can’t really help it.” He could tell that made her nervous. “I don’t usually get very drunk, although it does happen sometimes.” That seemed to make it worse. “Why does that scare you?”

That look was wiped off her face immediately and she felt a flash of anger at  _that_  word. “I’m not scared. Just…apprehensive.” He waited silently for her to continue. She sighed. It was getting harder and harder to keep from delving too deep into her life. “Alcoholism runs in the family. It seems to have skipped me since I’ve drank but am able to put the damn bottle down like a fucking  _adult_.” She stopped once she heard the anger in her voice. She cleared her throat and tried to calm down. “Sorry, it’s kind of a sore subject. It runs in the family, so my view on drinking has never been positive. I’m fine with others drinking around me for the most part, but it still makes me weary.”

He was still surprised at her sudden anger. It was clearly more than just a sore subject, but he let it go for now.

“I’m sorry you had to experience that, all I can do is promise you that I do not get angry when I drink. According to my brother, I get happy and loud, but never angry.”

That calmed her a bit. She hated that she was so damn readable to him. She should be able to control her emotions better than this. There was something about him though, she wasn’t sure what it was.

She usually avoided guys who looked like they could bench press her with ease since guys who got that big usually had the confidence and attitude to match. There wasn’t anything wrong with that, but Mara liked to stay away from aggression and confrontation altogether, despite knowing how to defend herself very well both verbally and physically.

But despite his size and his status as a literal  _country_ , Ludwig didn’t come off as cocky or aggressive. He wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but he wasn’t scary. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt comfortable around him, and that was a rarity. So much so that she found herself losing her iron grip on her emotions the more she was around him.

“I could try and drink less if that would make you feel better.” He offered.

She shook her head. “No, you don’t have to do that Ludwig. I appreciate the offer, but like you said, you are Germany. If you can’t help it, then that means its part of your culture and I would  _never_  ask you to change that or give a part of that up. That would be cruel.” She smiled at him. “If I am going to be living in Germany  _with_ Germany, then I am just going to have to get used to some things.”

He stared at her for a while. She started to get a little uncomfortable under his sharp gaze.

“Uh, was it something I said?” She said with an attempt at humor.

“Du bist wirklich unglaublich” (You really are amazing)

She wasn’t sure what he had said, but the way he said it in that soft tone and that soft expression he had let her know that whatever it was, it was probably sweet.

“I’m going to assume that was some sort of compliment, so thanks?”

He smiled softly. “It was.”

He seemed to snap out of the half daze he was in.

“Now that we are on the subject, you should start learning German soon.”

“Ah, that. Yeah, I’d have to agree with you there. It would only make sense. However, uh, I kind of suck at learning languages.”

“Don’t worry, I will teach you.”

She looked at him skeptically. If he was as much like her as he said he was, then she doubted he would be able to tear himself away from work often enough to teach her a new language.

“Are you sure you’ll have the time? Your job can’t be easy.”

 He shook his head. “It’s not, but,” He blushed slightly.

“I wouldn’t mind making time for you.”

Mara felt her cheeks grow warm.  _That is so sweet. And holy shit, how can one person be so goddamn adorable?!_

“I would like that.” She said shyly. She tried to lighten the mood. “Besides, who better to learn German from than Germany himself?” She said in a teasing tone.

He laughed. “That is true, but don’t think I’ll go easy on you.”

“I figured as much.” She said with a mock scowl.

They were silent again, but it wasn’t as awkward this time. They no longer tried to hide the glances they were giving each other.

After a while, Mara yawned. “You should get some sleep.”

Mara looked at the dark circles starting to appear under his eyes.

“Says the man who just flew halfway around the world. You are probably more tired than I am.”

He shrugged. “Not too much. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway.”

He told her over his shoulder as he went to get her a small pillow and blanket.

She took it with a thanks and got herself cozy before turning towards him.

“Why wouldn’t you be able to sleep?”

“It’s nothing important.”

“it’s important enough to keep you awake.”

He hesitated, then sighed. He leaned back against the seat and suddenly looked much more tired than he had before.

“It is work. I finished all the most important parts before I left. I know that whatever is still left won’t need to be addressed for at least another two weeks. I know this, but...”

He trailed off.

Mara smiled. “But you don’t like leaving things unfinished.”

He nodded and sighed again. “It makes me uncomfortable to know that I still have paperwork on my desk. It makes it hard to sleep.”

She laughed softly. “I know the feeling. I was the same way.”

He made an exasperated noise. “Thank you! All my brother tells me is to ‘relax and have a drink’. How can I relax?”

Mara sat up in her seat and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. “You want to hear something my old boss said to me?”

He nodded. She stood at walked over to where the pillows and blankets were.

“He told me, ‘How are you going to get any quality work done if you’re falling asleep at your desk?’”

She walked back to him and handed him his own blanket and pillow.

“Will your work get done from here, even if you’re staying awake?”

He shook his head.

“Then is there a reason you should be tiring yourself out?”

He shook his head again.

“Will you be able to work your best while sleep deprived?”

He sighed and shook his head another time.

“Then what do you think is the best decision?”

He took the pile from her. “I should try and get some sleep.”

Dear god, the man was almost  _pouting_.

She stifled her laugh as she went back to her own seat and got comfortable. Ludwig leaned against the side of the plane and looked over at her.

“I don’t know if this will work.” Mara shook her head.

“I know you might not like this, but it’s for the best. Everyone needs to rest.”

He sighed. “I know.”

She smiled at him. “Just try and relax ok? You know that everything is taken care of, so why not take a breather? Besides, we’ll be on our way to your home soon enough.”

She settled deeper under her blanket.

“Our home.”

She smiled.

“Our home.” She replied before slipping away into sleep.

 

Ludwig woke first, well before they were going to land. He had to admit, he felt much better after resting. He looked over at Mara and saw that she was still fast asleep. He silently folded up his blanket and placed back in the cabinet before making a pot of coffee. He didn’t stock the plane’s mini fridge before he left, so coffee would have to do for breakfast, much to his disappointment. He could really go for some rolls with honey, and maybe some eggs and ham. Or even some cheese too…

He winced as his stomach let out a loud grumble.  _Ok, I’m just making myself hungry._  He shook his head as if he could dislodge the images of food from his head.

His attention turned to the woman laying across from him. She was quite a woman. He had known she was strong, the story he heard from America let him know she was more than capable of taking care of herself, something he could definitely admire. But now that he had the chance to speak to her, he knew she was more than just physical strength. She was smart and determined. She didn’t let her lack of a college degree keep her from finding a decent job. Sure, it was mostly luck that she even found someone who was willing to overlook that, but she was the one who decided to apply in the first place. He had been worried his soulmate wouldn’t understand his work ethic or his dedication, but Mara did.

She even did the impossible, she convinced him to stop thinking about work for once and take a break. Even he could admit he could be…difficult when it came to that.

He lifted his gaze from his almost empty coffee cup and looked at her. Despite her calm, shy personality, she didn’t sleep like it. One leg was hanging off the edge, the other had the blanket twisted around itself, her head was resting on one arm while the other was thrown above her head. Her former neat braid was now fuzzy and had pieces of hair sticking out of it at all angles.

He could only chuckle. It was kind of cute, actually.

He cursed the blush he could feel on his face. He figured she must think it was cute or something, judging from the fact she giggled every time he did it. That only made it worse. He couldn’t help it, he has had little to no ‘romantic’ interactions with women in several years. He was out of practice and the fact that she seemed to be at least somewhat attracted to him and so nice didn’t make things any better.

He stared at her, trying to observe everything he could. He wasn’t one to make snap decisions, but he liked her. Nothing serious, he  _did_  just meet her, but he liked her.

And it wasn’t just her appearance that attracted him. It was how he  _felt_  around her. He didn’t really know how to describe it.

He sighed when he figured he might need to call his brother again. But then what she said to him the day before ran through his mind.

_You are my soulmate, not your brother._

She was right. This was their relationship and he should try and just be himself. That way, if things didn’t work out, he would have no one to blame but himself.

 

Mara woke to someone gently shaking her shoulder. She blinked open her eyes only to shut them again when she was blinded by a bright light.

“Sorry.” A deep voice told her. A moment later, she heard something closing and the light was gone.

She opened her eyes again and saw an amused Ludwig looking down at her.

“Mornin’” she grumbled as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“Good morning. I take it you’re not a morning person?”

She huffed, laughter was beyond her abilities at the moment.

“What gave you that idea?”

He chuckled. “I have been trying to wake you for the last five minutes.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Only five minutes? That not too bad.” He placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of her and she grumbled out her thanks. “It usually takes longer than that?”

She nodded and took a long sip from her cup. “I usually have to set between five and ten alarms, depending on how early I have to wake up.” 

He chuckled again. “I will have to keep that in mind.”  
Suddenly, the image of him waking her up while they were laying in bed together came into her mind and she blushed. She choked on her coffee and started coughing. “Are you alright?”

She waved him off. “Yeah.” She said when she could breathe again. “Just went down the wrong pipe.”

_Where the hell did_ that  _come from?_

Thankfully she was saved from having to answer any more questions when the pilot announced their decent.

 

Once they were on the ground, she was surprised to see he had a car waiting for them.

He shrugged at her questioning look. “I would rather use a car I can trust won’t break down than rely on the word of a rental company.” She got looked at the make of the car and laughed.

It was a German made car. Of course.

 

It was a two-hour drive to the house, so Mara passed the time by asking Ludwig questions about his home and while she was worried he would start getting annoyed, he surprised her by telling her some stories of his early history and of his brother. To her, he didn’t come across as someone who liked to talk a lot, but she wasn’t complaining. She liked to hear him talk. Sure, the accent was cute, and his deep voice still did funny things to her heart, but it was his tone that made her smile. He sounded so happy and relaxed, less serious. It was nice. She felt like she was really starting to get to know him.

 

Time flew by and soon they were driving through the small-town Mara spent so much of her time in when she was younger.

 

Ludwig glanced over when he realized how quiet was and saw a sad smile on her face.

“Are you ok?” Without looking over at him, she nodded.

“Yeah, I just haven’t been here since the funeral. I spent a lot of time here, no matter where I look, there is something that reminds me of them.”

He realized she must be talking about her Grandparents. He should have known that this trip would be hard on her.

“You must miss them.”

 

She looked over at him. “Yeah, I do. A lot more than I thought I would.” But it wasn’t just them she was talking about.

While Michelle had always been the more outgoing one, this was the only place Mara felt comfortable enough to get out of her shell. She would often drag Michell around from place to place, talking with the shop owners and people in line. They could often be seen talking and laughing loudly together.

Once Michelle died, all that changed. Mara drew into herself even more and virtually cut herself off from everyone else. She looked back out at the town passing by. She waited to feel the same joy and peace she used to feel whenever they came here as kids, but she didn’t. She didn’t think she would ever be the same.

 

Ludwig pulled into a grocery store and waited for Mara to start to get out. When she didn’t, he paused from undoing his seatbelt and looked over at her. “Mara?” She looked over at him and he almost gasped at the grief in her eyes.

“Oh, good idea, we need food for the house.” She tried to brush it aside and moved to open the door. Without thinking, Ludwig reached out and grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

“Mara, are you sure you are ok?”

Mara smiled at him, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Those were still sad.

 

Mara could tell he didn’t believe her for a second. She sighed, and let the smile drop from her face.

“I’m not exactly ok, but I’ll be fine. It’s just all the memories that come from being back here. But that’s the reason why I wanted to come, I need to say goodbye. I-” She sighed again. “I never got the chance while they were alive. I might not be the best company for a while and I’m sorry for that.”

His hand went from her shoulder to her hand.

“Don’t apologize, you need the time to grieve. I’ll stop asking, but know that if you need to talk, I’m here.”

Her lips twitched in a small smile. “Thanks Ludwig.”

 

After groceries, they finished the rest of their journey to the house.

Once the house came into view, Mara finally felt a small wave of calm rush over her.

This place had always had that effect on her.

Ludwig looked at the house and the surrounding land they passed by. He could see himself liking it out here. It was far enough out of town to be quiet, but not far enough to be isolated. The house itself seemed inviting. A white farmhouse with a wraparound porch, squared pillars, ferns hanging in baskets and a pair of white rocking chairs. He pulled in and parked by the side of the house and by the time he turned it off, Mara was already out of the car. He got out and smiled when he saw her. Her eyes were closed and there was a small smile on her face, which held a peaceful expression.

She opened her eyes and saw Ludwig staring at her. She blushed and looked down. “Uh, sorry. I just really like being here.” To save herself from any more embarrassment, she quickly loaded up her arms with groceries and started towards the house. “Come on, after we put the food away I’ll show you the house and property.

Ludwig followed silently behind her. He felt like he just got a peek at a side of Mara she didn’t show that often. For a moment there, she wasn’t shy, nervous, or sad. She looked happy. He felt his heart beat faster for a second as he remembered how she looked. He already thought she was pretty, but when she had let her guard down, she was…beautiful.

He pushed those thoughts aside and mentally scolded himself.  _Now is not the time for that! She is here to say goodbye and get some closure, not for you to start ogling her._

They made quick work of the groceries and Mara gave him a quick tour of the house. It was simple but nice. There was a large living room with a brick fireplace and a set of comfortable looking couches and chairs. She showed him to his room before going to her own room to unpack.

He put down his overnight bag and sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. He has been so busy the last few days, he hadn’t had much time to really think about things. Now that he had a moment to himself, it seemed to finally sink in. He was going to spend the rest of his life with Mara. She was his soulmate, literally the perfect woman for him. When he had first heard about their soulmates, he had thought that he would fall in love with her as soon as he saw her, and it had been overwhelming. He had resisted the idea at first. He had no problem with having a soulmate, it had even excited him at first, what he didn’t like was not having a choice in the matter. If he was going to spend the rest of his life with someone, he wanted it to be because he truly loved her, not because some mystical forces made him. So, he was pleasantly surprised to feel nothing more than mild attraction so far. It meant that whatever feeling developed between them would be real.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a light knock. He looked up and saw Mara standing in the doorway.

“If you’re ready, I can show you the property. Or we can wait till later if you want to.” He stood and shook his head. “No, now is fine.”

 

As soon as they stepped out of the back door, Ludwig felt as if he was transported into another world.

“Mara, this is beautiful.” 

There were rows of flowers and flowering trees, he could hear a fountain going and birds were chirping, and he saw butterflies fluttering around.

Mara smiled when she saw the awe on his face. “My grandma did all this.”

“Your grandmother did this?”

She nodded. “My grandpa built the planters and the archways, but she did all the planting. It took a while, but she loved working on it.”

 They walked through the garden together. Mara told him stories of her playing in the garden and helping her grandma when she was a child. He listened attentively. He couldn’t help but notice how happy she sounded. There was still some sadness there, but it wasn’t as bad as before.

Until they got the end of the garden. Her smile faded, and he could almost see her withdrawing into herself again.

“Um, well that’s it, we can turn back now.”

“What’s up ahead?”

She laughed nervously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

He turned her towards him, lifted her head and looked her in her eyes.

“Mara, what is up ahead?”

 

She tried to resist. She wasn’t ready to unload everything just yet. Hell, she could barely  _think_  about it, let alone tell him about it, about everything. Hell, he didn’t even know she had a sister. She started to get angry, who was he to demand that she tell him? Then she got a good look at his eyes. If she got past the intensity of it that made it look like he was scolding her, she could see the concern. He was worried about her.  _Maybe he is just as bad as expressing himself as I am._

She took a deep breath. She wasn’t ready to tell him everything, but she figured she could confide somethings.

“My Grandparents’ graves are up ahead, just at the tree line. I know that I came here to say goodbye and all that, but now that I’m here, I don’t think I’m ready just yet. And- and…”

He tucked her hair behind her ear, then jerked his hand away as though he was burned. He settled on putting his hand on her shoulder.   
“And you want to do it alone.” He finished for her.

She nodded almost guiltily. “I’m sorry, I know I dragged you here with me.”

He shook his head. “It’s fine, I understand. I would want to do the same.” He gripped her shoulder tighter. “But remember, if you change your mind, I’m here.”

She smiled gratefully up at him. She had been worried that he would push the subject and make her tell him, but he hadn’t. He was letting her know that he knew something was wrong, but letting her handle it at her own pace and telling her that he would be there for her if he needed him. She took his hand from her shoulder and held it in hers.

“Thank you, Ludwig. I don’t think I can tell you just how much that means to me.”

He tried not to focus that they were holding hands and that her hands were so small. He could feel her rough knuckles and the small calluses on her hands and was reminded of her strength. He absentmindedly ran his thumb over her knuckles and she kept staring up at him.

 

He was the one who came to his senses first. He pulled his hand away and cleared his throat. She took a step away from him and looked away, trying to gather her composure. What was it about him that captivated her?

“Are you hungry? I can make us some lunch if you want?” He nodded, and they started to make their way back to the house. “Ja, that sound’s good. I’ll make some rolls for dinner tonight as well.” She giggled and bumped his arm with hers. “See? Told you we’d make a good team.”  He chuckled. “I guess you were right.”

She was silent for a bit, then he felt her put her hand in his. He looked down at her in surprise and saw her looking up at him nervously. With a small blush of his own, he laced their fingers.

 

Shy smiles graced both of their faces.


	34. Spain's Route Chapter 2

Antonio woke first, which would have shocked anyone who didn’t take the time to really know him. He had no problem waking early to get things done if the thing that needed to be done was something he wanted to do. Antonio tended to do whatever he wanted and however he wanted to do it.

Right now, the ‘whatever’ was staring and admiring the woman in his arms and the ‘however’ was with her pulled close to him and while she was sleeping.

He didn’t dare move in case he would wake her because then he knew she would pull away from him. That was the last thing he wanted. He did what he had wanted to do the moment he found out she was his. His eyes traced over her features in admiration, not lust. He was known to be popular with women, but she wasn’t someone he picked up in a bar or club, she was his soulmate. He wanted to do right by her and his religious roots, which meant no sex until marriage.

She was beautiful, but not in an overstated way. He had no problem with women who enjoyed wearing heavy make-up, but there was something to be said about a woman who could shine without it.

He noticed she left her eyebrows natural, which made them slightly thicker than what in fashion. She had thick, dark eyelashes that were naturally long. Her nose was straight and came to a slight point and her full lips that seemed to have a natural pink tinge to them. He noticed she had her ears pierced, but he had yet to see her wear earrings. She had thick, mahogany brown hair that fell almost to her waist and had a light wave to it.

His eyes looked over what he could see of her body. She seemed to have a naturally curvy body, as suggested by her wide hips. From the way her body fit against his, he could also tell she had long legs. His hand moved to the curve of her lower back and he sighed. Yes, he was a lucky man. This woman’s natural beauty could put any model to shame.

It was more than her looks that drew him to her, although he hadn’t really known her long. She was easy to talk to, even though she didn’t usually have much to say. She listened to him attentively, even past the point where Lovino would get up and leave.

He looked back at the woman in his arms. She had gone through so much. Before she had told him everything, she had puzzled him. She was nice and seemed to like him, but he didn’t know why she always seemed so sad. Now that he knew, he kicked himself for not figuring it out sooner. Never in the weeks he had talked to her had she ever talked about her family, even when he had asked her. She always seemed to change the subject or give him some vague statement. He had accepted it and stupidly thought nothing more of it. How could he claim to be able to take care of her if he hadn’t even been able to tell when she had been hurting?

He fought back the sadness growing in his heart and held her close to him. None of that mattered now. She was with him and he would do better, he would make sure she never stayed sad or upset for long.

 

Mara woke to the strangest feeling. Something warm was surrounding her and it brought a sense of comfort with it. In her still mostly asleep state, she got as close as she could to the source of the warmth and nuzzled her face into something that smelled amazing. She started to wake up a little more as the something she was nuzzling chuckled and what she now realized were arms tightened around her.

“¿Dormiste bien corazón?” (Did you sleep well heart?) * ** _A/N_** _Corazon is most commonly used without the ‘mi’ in the beginning_

 

Mara blinked open her eyes and realized she had been nuzzling Toño’s neck, their legs were intertwined, and their bodies pressed up close together due to the narrow seat they were using as a bed. Her face immediately flushed red as she tried to distance herself, only to almost fall off their makeshift bed.

Antonio quickly pulled her closer to him, so she wouldn’t fall off. “Woah, ¡cuidado! Te tengo.” (Woah, careful! I’ve got you.)

Mara was too busy trying to not have a heart attack to translate what he had said, so she ended up staring at him blankly with her hand over her heart.

He chuckled again. “Are you ok?” She nodded when her heart rate was finally under control. “Yeah, I’m fine. It just felt like I was falling off the edge of the Earth for a second.” He shook his head and laughed. “Even in you were, I still would have caught you.”

_Oh my god, is he serious? Does he know how cheesy that sounded?_

Her laughter died in her throat when she saw that he wasn’t kidding. She suddenly didn’t know what to say. Sure, it was one of the cheesiest lines she had ever heard, but his sincerity made it really sweet.

He saw the blush rising in her cheeks and grinned. “Mi tomate.” 

Her blush just got worse, much to Antonio’s delight and Mara’s dismay. He squeezed her tight to him. “¡Muy lindo!” (So cute!)

Mara had gotten over the embarrassment of being this close to him, since she figured that she should probably start getting used to things like this. Calling the man affectionate would be an understatement. While this put her  _way_ outside her comfort zone, she found that she actually liked it. It made her feel  _wanted_ , and that was a new feeling she was quickly getting addicted to. She felt his hands glide over her back and she smiled. He made her so… _happy_ , really happy.

She looked up at him and the hand at her back immediately went to her face. “Corazón, why are you crying?” He brushed tears off her cheeks she didn’t know she had cried.

 _God, I’m so pitiful, ruining a peaceful moment by_ crying. The worry she saw on his face only made everything worse. Why was this man so perfect? He was sweet, affectionate, good looking, everything she didn’t deserve.

Antonio had no idea what had happened. One minute everything was fine, the next, his soulmate was weeping into his chest. Was it something he did? He didn’t think he had done anything inappropriate or said anything that would upset her.

“Mara, what happened? Did I do something wrong? Mi media naranja, please talk to me.” (Literally ‘half an orange’ but used as ‘better half’ or ‘soul mate’)

She took a few deep breaths and got herself back in control. “I swear I never do that, I’m sorry.” She sniffed. He lifted her head to look at him. “For what?” “For having a meltdown.” He shook his head. “Corazón, what happened? Did I do something wrong?” He asked again. She shook her head. “No.” She laughed. “You’re perfect.” His lips twitched in a smile. “Then what happened?”

Mara sighed. “I’m just… I’m just not used to being so happy.” “So those were happy tears?” He said in obvious relief. She nodded. He was mostly right. But she didn’t feel like telling him about the all the insecurities that rose to the surface. Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice anything was wrong. “Well, then you have nothing to apologize for. But I would like to know what made you so happy that you started crying.” He said with a soft smile, his fingers now running through her hair. “Just you being yourself. I told you how I grew up, so you can imagine that any kind of affection was a rarity in my house. I didn’t really care since I didn’t know any different. Then  _you_  come along, and you show me more kindness and affection in a few hours then I’ve known my whole freaking  _life_ , and now I finally know what I have been missing all these years. I guess I just got overwhelmed.”

Once again, his heart ached over how she had been raised. What kind of parent didn’t even hug their child? The image of a young Mara reaching for her mother, only to be turned away made  _him_  want to start crying.

“Well, I guess I have a lot to make up for.” He said, bringing another smile to her face.

“I look forward to it.”

 

They stayed like that for a while, simply laying in each other’s arms for the sake of comfort. It was a while before Mara noticed something odd. She couldn’t hear the low hum of the engine. “Toño?”

“¿Sí?” His reply was muffled from his face being buried in her hair. “Have we landed?”

She felt him nod and she put just enough distance between them so she could look up at him.

“How long?” He shrugged. “About an hour before you woke up.” She knit her eyebrows in confusion.

“Why?” Now he looked confused. “Because we are at the airport.” She rolled her eyes. “No, why didn’t you wake me up when we landed?” “Oh, that’s because I didn’t feel like getting up yet. Also, you looked like you could use the extra rest and I wanted to make sure you got all the sleep you needed.”

“Oh, well thanks, you were right, I really needed that. But, I think we should probably get going. It’s a two-hour drive to the house from here.” Antonio sighed in disappointment and reluctantly let go of her so they could make their way to the car waiting for them outside.

 

As soon as he started the car, Antonio started flipping through radio stations until he found what was probably the only Spanish music station in the area. He frowned when a commercial came on instead of music. Mara grunted with clear dissatisfaction. “I  _hate_  it when that happens.”  Antonio shrugged his shoulders and started to sing. Mara stared at him. Could  _nothing_  get this guy down? He seemed to take everything in stride, choosing to see the bright side instead of dwelling on the bad. He did it when she told him of her sister. Instead of letting her wallow in grief, he had her tell him of the happy memories, of Michelle when she was alive. It hadn’t made everything better, but it made her smile for a while, and that rare moment of happiness was precious to her. Even at the mild annoyance of radio commercials that never seemed to end, he didn’t even bat an eye. She couldn’t help but admire that. She had always found it hard to see the bright side of anything.

Antonio caught her staring from the corner of his eye. He took one of his hands off of the steering wheel, held her hand and started to sing louder. “Tú y yo hemos cenado en buenos restaurantes,” ([link](http://lyricstranslate.com/en/al-mar-sea.html-0) to song and lyric translations)

Mara smiled and listened to him sing. She didn’t really worry about not being able to understand everything. His voice alone was enough to calm her nerves and sooth her always present insecurities.

 

Time passes quickly when you are being serenaded by an attractive Spaniard. Before she knew it, they were in a familiar small town.

Mara’s happy mood was dimmed as bittersweet memories came flooding back. Her and her sister looking through the used bookstore, her grandparents taking them to see a movie, helping her grandmother at the farmer’s market, even just simply walking around aimlessly in the park. Almost every street and store held some kind of memory for her. She was eased out from her memories by a gentle squeeze of her hand. She looked over at Antonio. He hadn’t paused his singing and wasn’t even looking over at her. She had thought he had realized she was upset and was trying to comfort her, but that didn’t appear to be the case. He looked to be too caught up in his own little world to notice her change in mood. Mara brushed it off. His presence alone was enough to help cheer her up.

She squeezed his hand to get his attention. “The farmer’s market is up ahead, we should get some food for the house.” He pulled into the parking lot with a grin. “That’s a wonderful idea corazón.” 

Mara watched him as he walked from stand to stand and realized that he was definitely a people person. People seemed to flock around him, drawn in by his easy-going attitude and charming smile. Especially the women, not that she could really blame them. He was striking up conversations like they were all his old friends.  _How did he_ do  _that?_ She had a hard time talking to people she really had known for years, yet here he was, completely at ease around total strangers.

 _We really are polar opposites._  She thoughts as they weaved themselves around the people and stands, getting whatever they thought they might need.  _He is warm and affectionate and the word ‘frigid’ had been used to describe me. He is optimistic, and I tend to see the glass half empty._  She stared at him as they made their way back to the car. She imagined what he would do during the times her insecurities took hold, when her doubts would be too much to ignore and she lashed out. She may not have ever been in a serious relationship before, but she did know herself. Already his kind and warm ways were both endearing and frustrating. Endearing because  _god, no one had ever treated her like this_  and frustrating because  _why was he doing this? Why was he so nice? He barely knows me, yet he seems to be so happy that he is paired with me for life, and when you’re a country ‘for life’ takes on a whole new meaning._  

She was still silent as they drove the rest of the way to her grandparent’s house. If he noticed something was wrong, he didn’t say. But Mara was starting to realize that maybe he didn’t really notice.

All the silence did was allow her to fall further into her thoughts.

 _Why_ is _he so happy about this, about getting_ me _? I’m nothing special. Before all of this happened, I was pretty boring. Work, gym home. Day in and day out. I’m not ugly, but neither am I particularly pretty. I’m socially awkward and I have trust issues. He is interesting, he talks to people easily and has close friends, he is attractive and is endlessly optimistic._

She shook her head.  _How are we supposed to be a perfect match? We’re complete opposites._

Antonio was admiring the scenery as it passed them by. It was beautiful here, he could see why Mara liked it so much. She had told him a little of the place when she had talked about her sister earlier. He smiled as he remembered what she had told him. It was nice to know that despite how her parents treated her, she still had people that cared about her and a place where she could be herself. He glanced over at her, expecting to see her happy that she was back after all these years, only to see her frowning and staring into her lap. “Mara?” She glanced up and looked outside. “Oh, the turn is coming up on the left. Sorry, I was lost in thought.” He turned into the wooden gate with peeling black paint. “Are you ok?” He asked hesitantly. He was wracking his brain for anything that would tell him why she was upset, but he couldn’t think of anything. Realization dawned on him as the house came into view. She probably missed her family. She said she hadn’t been back since her sister’s funeral.

“Antonio?” Her voice made him pause. There was something in the tone of her voice that almost made her sound scared.

They were parked by the side of the house by now, but neither of them moved to get out. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at her, his hand reaching out for her again.

“What is it corazón?” She winced at the worry in his voice. God, she was so pathetic. Here she was making him worry about her again. Why can’t she just deal with her shit like a normal person and not have to involve anyone else?

She looked up at him. Conflicting emotions swirled within her. She didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to voice her doubts and insecurities, but she also wanted him to comfort her, to tell her everything was going to be ok and they were going to just fine. That they were going to fall in love and live out their lives together and be hopelessly in love with each other.  _Now that’s not fair to him. You can’t have it both ways._ She mentally chided herself.

If she wanted reassurances, she would have to tell him what was wrong. She couldn’t expect him to read her mind.

“Why are you with me?” They both looked shocked at her question. That wasn’t what Mara had intended to start off with, but the words were out before she could stop them.

“What do you mean?”

_Well, might as well go with it._

“I’m mean, we barely know each other, we’ve met twice in person and talked on the phone for a couple of weeks, and we are spending a week at my grandparents’ place then I’m moving to a new country with you where I barely speak the language and I just want to know why you seem so eager to go through all of this?”

He didn’t even pause with his answer. “You are my soulmate. Fate has decided that you are the perfect person for me, why wouldn’t I be excited about that?”

“Is that the only reason?’ she said, unable to hide the hurt from her voice. “Because some  _beings_  almost no one can see says so?”

Antonio felt that Mara was looking for a specific answer from him, but for the life of him, he didn’t know what.

To him it was simple. She was his soulmate. She was the only woman he could love for the rest of his life. And he was the only man for her, so why did she look so upset?

 

Mara was mentally kicking herself. What did she expect? Him to say he was with her because he had feelings for her already? That he could really see them spending their lives together when, like she had pointed out, they have only known each other for about a month?  _Stop kidding yourself._ She thought bitterly.  _Even after all these years, I’m still caught up on those silly romance books I read when I was a kid._

He sighed. “Mara, I don’t know what you want me to say. It’s true, we don’t know each other all that well.” He took her other hand in his and looked into her eyes. “But I do know that when Alfred told me you were my soulmate, I was happy. I know that even before that, I was excited whenever we talked. I know that when I’m with you I feel something I’ve never felt before.”

Mara felt her heart skip a beat. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you that yet. It wasn’t fair considering our…relationship,” Wow, that was weird to say out loud. “Has just started.” He smiled, held her cheek in one of his hands and stroked it with his thumb. “It’s fine corazón.” She shook her head. “No, it isn’t. I let my insecurities run my mouth.” He cocked his head. “What insecurities?” What could a woman like her be insecure about?

She looked down at her lap. “We’re opposites, Toño. In almost every way. You are happy, easy going and a people person. You seem sure of yourself and you don’t let things get you down and to top it all off, you are crazy attractive. Me, I’m...”  “Hermosa. Eres Hermosa Mara.” (Beautiful. You are beautiful Mara) He interrupted her. She looked up at him skeptically.  “You are very kind considering how you were raised.” He finally looked around and realized they were still in the car. “Come on, corazón” They got out of the car and he led her to the back where he picked her up and sat her on the trunk. He wrapped his arms around her waist and moved closer to her so he was in between her legs and their bodies pressed close together. Mara blushed a little as she looked at him and saw the sincerity in his gaze. “Where is all this coming from?” He said in a low voice. “You’re too good for me, Antonio.” He looked pained at her words. “Mi cariño” (my dear, darling)

She continued before he could say anything else. “You are, Toño. And I want us to work out, I really do, but I’m not sure how. I’ve never been in a relationship before. Hell, I’ve never really had friends before. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Antonio wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to show her how he felt, to show her how wonderful she really was. But he knew that he couldn’t, not when it would mean binding her life to his before she was ready. Of course, they would have to be in love first, but he didn’t want to spoil that kiss with one that wouldn’t mean much in comparison. He instead placed a kiss on her cheek. “Mara, I think you are forgetting just how old I am. I have been around for over 500 years*. I have learned many things during that time, but one of the most important things is that life is too precious to hold onto negativity.” Mara watched as the grief-filled his eyes. “I have seen much and honestly, I can not afford to focus on the negative.”

“How do you do it?”

“Many ways. Sometimes I need to talk to someone, other times I just need to do something to take my mind off it. But what works best is surrounding myself with people who make me happy.”

Mara felt pain grip her. “Michelle made me happy.” Antonio held her closer to him. “Lo sé, corazón.” (I know.)

“I can try and make you happy, if you’ll let me.” Mara’s smile was hidden, but he could feel the tension leave her.

“Ok.” 

 

 


	35. Sweden's Route Chapter 2

The rest of the flight was spent with Mara nestled in Berwald’s side, his arms wrapped tight around her. He opened up to her, telling her about himself, his history and the other Nordics. The silent moments between conversations were comfortable ones where Mara was pulled into his lap so he could hold her closer. The feeling of someone holding her was foreign but she found herself quickly getting addicted. He was just so warm comforting, she couldn’t seem to get enough.

Berwald was overcome with joy. How had he ended up so lucky? Only yesterday he had been resigned to stay in a loveless relationship for the sake of companionship. But now, here he was, holding a beautiful woman in his arms. A woman who melted into his touch instead of running away. A woman who cared for him. His arms tightened around her briefly before reminding himself to loosen his grip. He didn’t want to accidentally hurt her. Mara never seemed to complain though, no matter how tight he hugged her, she hugged him back.

Sometime later, Mara had fallen asleep on his lap. Berwald had been telling her another story from his history, and his deep timber, steady heartbeat and warmth lulled her to sleep. He stared down at the woman in his arms. _My wife._ How did he get so lucky? It was more than physical comfort, he could be himself around her, and more so than anyone else, even Tino. She laughed at his jokes and even told a few of her own. He didn’t think he had smiled so much in years, decades really. She made him so happy. He held her closer and kissed her forehead.  “Min Skatt.” He leaned his head back and fell asleep, a smile on his face.

 

Mara woke to what felt like sunlight punching her eyeballs. She squinted angrily until she remembered where she was. She looked up and saw a sleeping Berwald, his head resting on the window next to them. His face was relaxed while he was sleeping, the usual tension replaced by a relaxed smile. She had seen that smile more than she expected yesterday, but every time she did it made her heart skip. She was glad she could make him smile like that. She debated waking him up but decided on watching him sleep instead. She was amazed at how, well, large he was. She had never felt small by any means, but being this close to him made her feel… delicate. It was a new feeling, but she was starting to like it. _How can such a large man be so gentle?_ Her fingertips traced the lines of his face. _He really is amazing._ He nuzzled his face into her palm and Mara had to hold back a laugh. He reminded her of an overgrown cat asking to be petted. So she ran her fingers through his hair, down his neck and his shoulder. She put her face close to his and rubbed her nose with his. His eyes opened and Mara grinned.  “Good morning Ber.” He smiled sleepily and rubbed noses. “Good morning Älsking. (Darling)” Mara moved to sit up, but Berwald tightened his grip on her slightly. “I think we’re almost there, we should get ready to get off.” Berwald shook his head. “Not yet.” Mara smiled and settled back into his arms. “Ok, just a few more minutes.” He gave one of his small smiles and rubbed noses with her again. They spent the next few minutes in a comfortable silence in which they simply stared at each other. It amazed Mara that anyone could think that this man was cold and intimidating. All they had to do was look in his eyes and they would see that he was an extremely emotional man. She only spent a few hours with him, and she could already see that not only was he not cold, he felt more intensely than anyone else. She caressed his cheek and smiled. “What are you thinking, Älsking?” “Just that I am so lucky to have you as my soulmate.” His cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink. “Nej, min kära.  I am the lucky one.” His reached his large hand up to rest on the side of her face. Mara closed her eyes and smiled, basking in his warmth.

The pilot came over the intercom and announced their decent, pulling the both of them from their dream-like state. Mara moved to sit up again and this time Berwald let her.

 

They landed and soon after, they began the last leg of the journey to Mara’s Grandparent’s house. Most of the way was spent in a comfortable silence, his large hand gently encasing her smaller one. Occasionally, Mara would break the silence to point out something she remembered from the summers she spent here as a child. As they entered the small town preceding the large stretch of farmland that held her grandparent’s house, Berwald could practically feel the excitement radiating from her. She started pointing out things more quickly, a smile on her face as she recalled each and every memory. Berwald could only chuckle at her child-like behavior.

After stopping to get groceries, they quickly found themselves turning into the long gravel drive of the house. Towering pines lined one side of the property. A little ways in front of the house stood a small cluster of fruit trees and a huge oak holding up a porch swing. The house finally came into view, and Berwald couldn’t help but smile. It was a cute country house, only a little bigger than average. It was painted white and had a wraparound porch with square pillars lining it the whole way. Small ferns and a couple of rocking chairs decorated the porch and there were blue-gray shutters lining the windows. He pulled up along the side of the house and turned off the car. Before he could even unbuckle his seatbelt, Mara was already out of the door, breathing in the sweet country air deep into her lungs, a wide smile on her face. He walked around to her and chuckled softly. She opened her eyes and looked at him sheepishly. “I just really missed this place.” He chuckled again, amusement dancing in his eyes. “I can tell.” They each grabbed their share of the bags and she showed him into the house.

The inside of the house seemed to match the outside, simple but nice. The furniture was obviously old, but well cared for. There was a large brick fireplace in the living room, a large couch, and two recliners, a wall painted red that was adorned with various paintings and a large ornate wooden secretary desk that immediately grabbed Berwald’s attention. He walked over and ran his hands over the wood, appreciating the craftsmanship that went into making this fine piece of furniture.  

Mara, who had continued walking to the kitchen, turned around to find Berwald transfixed by the desk and running his hands over the surface.

“So…I see you like the desk.”

He quickly looked up, as if he had been off in his own world. “Ja. It’s very well made. How old is it?”

Mara shrugged her shoulders and walked over next to him. “I’m not sure. It belonged to my Grandma, and she’s had for as long as I can remember.” “It’s beautiful.”

He gave it one last look before turning his attention back to her. “Sorry I got distracted.” Mara shook her head. “It’s fine. Come on, after we put the food away I can show you the garden.”

He wordlessly nodded and followed her to the kitchen.

 

They made quick work of the groceries and Mara practically dragged him to the back door.

Berwald couldn’t help but smile at her childlike excitement.

As soon as she opened the door, he could see why.

There were flowers of every color, bushes with pink, red and blue flowers and flowering vines crawling up trees and archways. Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower and birds were singing and nesting in the tree branches. It was something out of a fairy tale.

Mara looked back and saw Berwald staring at the garden with his eyebrows raised.

“I know, it’s amazing, right?”

“Det är vackert.”

He turned his eyes from the garden to Mara, who was looking at him with her head slightly cocked to the side. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how adorable she was. “It’s beautiful.” He translated for her.

“I’m really going to have to learn Swedish.”

He chuckled again. “I’ll teach you.”

They found themselves staring at each other again, both of them lost in the other’s eyes.

Mara was the first one to snap out of it. “Uh, Yeah, it is. Come on, there’s a lot to see.” She took his hand and started to lead him through the garden.

 

After she had gotten over her embarrassment, she slowed down and started pointing out the flowers she knew the names of and the memories she had of playing in the garden as a child.

 

Berwald listened silently, simply enjoying the sound of her voice.

He loved everything about her, the sound of her voice, her laugh, the way she looked at him, the way she had never been scared of him, her strength, everything.

It would make sense that he fell for her almost at first sight, the same thing happened with Tino and Berwald had never been in love before that. But what he had felt for Tino paled in comparison to what he felt around Mara. He had been nervous and unsure of himself for the first few years with Tino, like anything he said or did wrong would send him running.

But with Mara, there was none of that. There was no nerves or fear, no pressure or the feeling of her about to run. She _wanted_ to be with him, she _chose_ to.

That thought still shocked him.

He looked down at the woman beside him. _Wife._

 

Berwald had been quiet the entire time, but that didn’t really bother Mara too much. She noticed he wasn’t one for idle chatter.

She started to grow quiet as they got closer to the edge of the woods.

She had originally intended to come here by herself so she could grieve without anyone seeing. But now that she was here, she found that she was too scared to go forward.

She had never really grieved for her dead family members. She had pushed down the grief as far as she could so she wouldn’t have to deal with it.

“Älsking, what’s wrong?”  

Mara couldn’t bring herself to say what she wanted, not without crying. So she gripped his hand a little tighter and led him to the edge of the woods, stopping right before the tree line. 

“Berwald, this is uh, these are who I told I told you about.”

Berwald looked down and understood why she had gotten so quiet.

Two headstones, one large one that held two names and a smaller one off to the side.

“This is your family.”

Mara nodded. “I, uh, I had planned on doing this by myself but um, I-”

She cleared her throat. “Wow, this is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.” She said in a strained voice.

Without hesitation or explanation, Berwald pulled her into him, wrapping his arms tight around her.

Mara immediately hugged him back, hiding her face in his chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think I would react like this. It’s been _years_ , but it still hurts! I’m sorry I brought you with me to do this. It was selfish, I didn’t think I could do it alone.”

 Berwald pulled her back so he could look her in the eyes with an expression unlike any she had seen before.

“Don’t apologize. Don’t ever apologize. I know you are strong Älsking, but you don’t have to do everything alone anymore. I will always be here for you Mara. It’s not selfish to need help.”

Mara looked up at him and saw nothing but sincerity.  She let a few tears escape and run down her cheeks.

“I-I… Thank you, Ber.” He gave her that smile of his, the one that made her melt. “You don’t need to thank me Älsking.”

Mara placed her head back on his chest and finally let herself go and Berwald held on to her until she had no more tears to cry.

 

As night fell, Berwald found himself sitting on the couch with a very sleepy Mara curled up and tucked into his side. She had a book in hand that Berwald hadn’t bothered to learn the name of. He was too busy paying attention to his soulmate.

 

Never in his life had he imagined that he would be here one day, in a secluded house in the country with a beautiful woman snuggled close who he was helplessly in love with. He hadn’t known her for long, but the short time he has spent with her have been the happiest in his life. He has never felt more at ease and himself around anyone else. He imagined his life before her, in that house he shared with Tino and Peter.

He couldn’t believe that just a few short days ago, he had been satisfied with that arrangement. Pretending he was in a relationship with someone he knew had never loved him, and never would, just for the sake of companionship. Just because underneath his steely, cold exterior, he was tired of being alone. His biggest fear was that he would go the rest of his impossibly long life alone, no one to care for him, no one who cared _about_ him. He knew the rest of his Nordic family cared for him, but it was more due to the fact that their histories were so intertwined together, none of them could really imagine life without the others.

Berwald had always wanted more. He had always looked at the lives of his citizens with deeply rooted envy. No matter what hardships they endured, through all the wars and disasters, no matter the century, they all had one thing he thought he could never have. Family. Real family. Someone they could love without fear that one day they would be forced to fight each other against their will.

He looked back on his previous ‘relationship’ and looked down at the now sleeping woman in his arms.

Even if this didn’t work out, he knew he could never go back to what he had, not when he finally had a taste of what he had been missing all these years.

 

Carefully and silently, he stood and carried Mara to his room and gently laid her on the bed. He laid down next to her and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her as if she would disappear any moment.

He hoped and prayed to all the old gods that she would one day love him back, although he had stopped believing in them long ago. He would pray to anyone, do anything, if it meant keeping this woman by his side.

He softly kissed the top of her head and in his deep, rumbling voice, he whispered, “Jag älskar dig, Älsking. Godnatt.” (I love you, darling. Good night)

 

 He fell asleep before he could see her smile and hear her whispered response.


	36. Denmark's Route Chapter 2

Matthias’ chatter tapered off sooner than she thought it would. From what she had seen of him around Alfred, he was very talkative, but they spent the remainder of the drive in a comfortable silence.

As promised, once they got to the airport, he walked to the front of the pane to tell the pilot about the change in plans. From what Mara could see, the pilot didn’t look too happy. 

 

Mara wasn’t sure what to expect when she found out they were flying on a privet jet. From what little she knew about Matthias, she almost expected something as ‘loud’ as he was. But that wasn’t what she found. Everything was surprisingly simple. It looked somewhat expensive, but instead of opulence to match the ‘king of northern Europe’ there was clean simple lines. The only thing that stood out was the bright red color of the seats.

Mara stowed her bag away and sat down at the small table with bench seats. Now that she finally had a moment to herself, everything finally started to seem surreal. This whole situation was crazy. Was this even happening? Or was all this one dragged out dream brought about by pushing herself too far at the gym? Yeah, that was probably it.

 

_Do I really want this all to be a dream?_

 

Sure, this was all almost unbelievable and those six months she spent on the streets were…less than ideal. Anyone would prefer -should prefer- going back to their normal life after all of this. But her old life…

Did she really want to go back to that? Back to her parents? Back to days and weeks being the same routine? Back to not having friends? Back to her parent’s ignoring her and that being a good thing? Back to feeling like a prisoner in her own house? Did she  _really_  want to go back to her old life?

 

_No._

 

She might be taking a big risk by going through with all of this, but it was worth it. She wasn’t just taking off with some stranger, she was going to see her grandparents’ place after all these years and she was going there with her  _soulmate_. It didn’t matter how long she had known him, Matthias was her first and only chance at being happy. If this didn’t work out, she would be devastated. But if it did…

_If it did…_

 

Was it really all that wrong of her to want this? Did it make her selfish?

Mara held her head in her hands, her fingers lightly pulling at her own hair. Why did she feel guilty? She felt like she had  _abandoned_ her parents. She knew how they were. No matter how much they had won that night, they would probably be out of it soon, if they hadn’t spent it all already. Now that she wasn’t living with them, they would have to try and get jobs themselves. They never could hold down a halfway decent job. No self-respecting employer would keep a couple of belligerent drunks on their payroll. If they couldn’t get work, then they wouldn’t be able to pay their bills.

 

_Stop it._

 

Mara could feel the rising anxiety and tried to calm herself. She usually had such an iron grip on her emotions that almost nothing could get to her, but this was  _so_  much more than a hectic day at work and getting the cold shoulder from her parents.

She took a deep breath and calmed her hectic thoughts.

 

_One thing at a time. Despite how they act, my parents are adults and should be able to take care of themselves. Right now, I have a soulmate to get acquainted with._

 

She smiled with newfound determination and lifted her head from her hands, then froze.

Right across from her sat a worried looking Matthias.

 

 

Matthias walked into the passenger area of the plane once the pilot confirmed that their detour was possible. He sent a quick text to his boss about the change in plans, but he wasn’t worried. His boss had already granted him a few weeks off, what was a few days more? Sure, he would have a mountain of paperwork to do when he got back, but for once, he had other things to worry about. Despite his happy go lucky and party boy image, he was a surprisingly hard worker. His people only deserved the best out of him, after all. But now he had  _Mara_. He was awash with excitement and (although he would never admit it out loud) nerves. Would she like him? Would she like her new home? Would she get along with his family? Although he knew his fellow Nordics wouldn’t be anything but hospitable to her and from what Alfred had told him about her, she should get along with them too, there was a nagging worry in his gut he hadn’t felt before when it came to women. Then again, when was the last time he had bothered to introduce one to his brothers?  

 

He shook off his worry. Everything would work out. It had to, he has been around for 1300 years and hadn’t bothered with relationships for the most part, and none of them serious. How could he have a long-term relationship with someone he was going to outlive anyway?

 

He caught sight of Mara and his smile faded. She was clearly stressed and not handling it well. He quickly walked over and was about to intervene when he heard her start to take deep breaths. He only slightly relaxed when he saw the tension leave her. He sat down in the seat opposite her and waited.

 

“Oh! Uh, Hi.”

“Hi. What’s wrong?”

Not ‘are you ok’ or ‘is something wrong.’ It was obvious something  _was_ wrong, she  _wasn’t_ ok.

Mara sighed.  _Where to begin?_  She thought bitterly. She wasn’t ready to unload everything on him, not yet. Growing up the way she did left her with more than a few trust issues. She would have to get to know him better before she would trust  _herself_  to trust him.

 

“I’m fine now.”

Matthias gave her a look that clearly said her lie was a poor one.

Mara sighed and rolled her eyes.

“I was just a little stressed. The last few months haven’t been exactly easy. I guess everything just hit me at once.”

There, not a lie.

He seemed to accept this answer and leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Mara stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes boring into his as if searching for some answer.

“What?” He asked after her staring started making him uncomfortable.

“You’re different than I thought you were.”

He grinned. He didn’t have to know what she had thought he was like. He knew how he could be.

“I have my moments.”

Mara felt the corners of her lips lift in a smile of her own. “I guess so.”

 

They stared at each other wordlessly, studying each other as if coming across some new species of animal. Neither of them knew what to do. Mara had chosen to spend most of her life alone and Matthias, while a self-proclaimed heavy drinker and partier and was hardly virginal, wasn’t one to sleep around that often or entertain the idea of serious relationships. At least compared to some of the other Countries.

Just when Mara thought she would go crazy from the silence, Matthias cleared his throat and spoke.

“So, um, tell me about yourself?” Mara gave a huff of laughter when he phrased it like a question.

“You’re at a loss to huh?” He chuckled. “Yeah. Never thought I would have to say this again, but this is a first for me.” “Not one for relationships?” “No. There wasn’t really a point to it, you know?”

Mara nodded. “What about you?” She shook her head. “Nah, me neither. I had this one boyfriend in high school, but we were only together about a month, so I’m not really sure that counts.” Matthias cocked his head. “Why? You didn’t like him” Mara shifted uncomfortably. “No, I did. Well, as much as a 17-year-old can. He was the one who didn’t.”  “Ah.” He dragged out the sound and sat back in his seat. Mara shrugged. “It’s whatever. It ended up just being a crush anyway. I got over it pretty quick.”

 

Silence stretched between them again, a little less awkward this time. This time, it was Mara who broke the silence. “Considering I will be spending  _the rest of my life_  there, can you tell me about your home?”

Matthias grinned. “I’ll tell you everything.”

 

Matthias launched into a long and excited explanation of how his country is really the best and just how amazing everything about it really is.

Mara couldn’t help but smile at his pride. He truly loved his home and his people. It made sense, considering he  _was_  the living personification, but it warmed her heart all the same. It relaxed her, made her trust him just a little more. It was so unusual for her to see someone so passionate. She had been raised by cold, uncaring parents and since she had no friends, she wasn’t used to seeing someone so…

_Happy_. The more she stared at him, the more she saw it. He was so full of  _life_. He  _radiated_ positive energy whether he was talking animatedly or being silent, she could  _feel_ it. He looked at her as he spoke, his blue eyes holding her captive and she couldn’t bring herself to look away. She found herself smiling before long and felt a warmth start to take up residence in her chest. She could see herself getting seriously attached to this, to  _him_.

 

 Matthias had gone on for what seemed like hours. Eventually though, he ran out of things to say and finished with another promise that she was going to love it. Mara giggled.  _Giggled!_  Had she ever made such a flirtatious noise?  _No, definitely not._ Mara blushed and Matthias chuckled. “I’m sure I will. I can’t wait to see it, it sounds beautiful and everyone sounds wonderful.” Matthias chuckled again, a light blush gracing his own cheeks. She had directly complimented him, he was the embodiment of his country after all. He knew she probably didn’t know it, but it still made him a little giddy that she thought he was  _wonderful_.

Mara narrowed her eyes at him in a mock glare. “What’s got you so excited this time?”

He waved off her suspicions. “Nothing. So, what about you?” “What about me?”

“I told you everything about me, so tell me about you.”

Mara paused to mull over her thoughts. She didn’t really like talking about herself, and although she had grown more comfortable around him, she didn’t think she was ready to lay her heart on the table like that. On the other hand, it was hard to talk about herself without bringing up all the shit she had gone through. Also, his total honesty with her made her feel somewhat guilty for not doing the same.

_No, it’s better if I hold off. All it will accomplish is ruining the happy mood and bring us down._

 

Mara decided that a watered-down version was best.

“Not much to say really. I never had much of an extended family, just my grandparents. My parents were never the affectionate type, so most of the time we just stayed out of each other’s way. I did pretty good in school, so I tried to get educational scholarships for college, but it didn’t happen. I didn’t like the idea of taking out student loans, so I decided to look for a job. My family wasn’t exactly rolling in cash, so I looked for a somewhat decent one to help with the bills. I finally managed to find one and everything was cool for a while, but good things never last forever.”

Matthias frowned at her melancholy attitude and tone but kept silent.

“The company started to go under and I was ‘let go’.”

“What about things you like to do? Hobbies and stuff?”

“I signed up for a self-defense class right out of high school and went regularly. I also went to the gym a couple times a week. I did a lot of cardio and kickboxing. I uh, I also like to read.” Mara finished nervously. Matthias perked up at that. “Really? What genre?” Mara winced as if she had been dreading that question. “Oh, you know, a like a lot of stuff…” She glanced up at him at saw his eager expression. She sighed. “I really like paranormal romance.” She said under her breath.  _Here it comes. He is going to think I’m some love-obsessed girl who never outgrew Twilight. As if that is the_ only _book in the entire genre._  She thought bitterly. She liked those books. They were her home away from home and allowed her to escape her reality for a short while.

But instead of being condescending, he actually looked curious. “Hmm, I read a lot, but I’ve never read one of those. I read a lot of fiction, but I also enjoy a lot of poetry and philosophy.” Mara was dumbstruck. He laughed at her shocked expression. “Wasn’t expecting that, huh?” Mara shook her head. “Honestly no. I never got the bookworm vibe from you. And not many people are interested in philosophy.” He gave a short laugh. “Yeah, I get that a lot. I just don’t like to dwell on the negative aspects of life. If all you get from philosophy is that the world sucks, then you don’t really understand it. There is more to life that most people think about, but if all you focus on is the negative, you will miss out on all the beauty. It’s just as important to appreciate the little things as it is to think about the big things.”

Mara could do nothing but stare at him. “You really are nothing like I thought you would be.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. “Not that I thought you were stupid or anything!” He shrugged it off. “It’s ok. I know how people see me and it doesn’t really bother me. Mainly because they aren’t completely wrong. I love to drink, and I love a good party, especially if there is food involved.”

The drinking thing worried Mara for a minute, but she couldn’t see this man as anything but a happy drunk.

“So why do you like paranormal romance?”  Mara studied his face for any sign that he was teasing her, but found none.

“I tend to like the ones that closely resemble our world, but still make it wonderfully different. Some of my favorite authors make a secret subculture of supernatural creatures hiding in plain sight, blending in with the rest of humanity for survival. It makes you wonder if the world around you is really all it seems to be, you know? And the characters have hard lives, and most of them live far longer than humans do, so they become jaded to the world around them, but then they meet someone who changes their view, who reminds them of the good in the world and anchors them. Usually in they are destined mates, but some of them aren’t. They are even a few that have destined mates, but they fall in love with someone else, and they have to fight whichever mystical force rules them for the sake of being with the ones they love. And the really good ones don’t fall into the usual cliché of frail, innocent woman to big strong he-man either. In one, the female protagonist is half Valkyrie.* In those ones, they save each other.” *(I’m referencing the book ‘A Hunger Like No Other’ Kresley Cole. Definitely read if you like hot Scottish werewolves being scared of a hoard of pissed off Valkyries who are seriously overprotective of their niece.)

Matthias watched as her eyes lit up as she spoke. She had been so quiet and reserved, it was almost a shock to see her so passionate about something. She wasn’t what he thought either. He felt a warmth surround his heart as he saw a smile lift her lips as she gave examples of her favorite novels, going into length on just how amazing plot was. He had the sense that she didn’t really get to do this all that much, to talk about herself and the things she liked. Jet lag was starting to hit him, but he still gave her all of his attention, hanging onto her every word, laughing as she complained of how predictable some books could be and wincing at some of the more terrible ones she had read.

 

They talked for hours, long past when smart people would have gone to sleep. Mara forgot her fears of rejection and her life-long insecurities and trust issues and fed off Matthias’ positive energy, allowing herself to relax and joke around, laugh and tease, something she had never been able to do before.

They talked books, poetry, their favorite movies and T.V shows, argued over music (Matthias was currently into pop and Mara was more into rock and some country), talked about food and anything else they could think of.

It wasn’t clear who had nodded off first, neither of them wanted to put a stop to their conversation. It was in the middle of a discussion about just how big a party should be before it was too big (Mara thought just a few friends over at a house was fine, Matthias said it was perfectly ok to rent out a community center and get as much food and drink as possible.) when they both fell asleep, Mara with her head resting on an arm folded on the table, the other reaching out in front of her and Matthias with his head resting on the back of the seat.

 

Matthias woke to sunlight streaming in through the window and hitting him square in the face. He was a morning person, much to Lukas and Tino’s dismay. He reached over and closed the shutter, catching sight of Mara in the process. She was still sound asleep, her head nestled in her arms and hair had fallen in her face. Matthias smiled softly and brushed the hair away from her face, his finger lingering on her cheek. Her skin was soft and slightly cool to the touch. His hand jerked back when she started shifting. Instead of waking up, she moved and arm to stretch out in front of her and fell back asleep. Her hand was now in front of him and he couldn’t resist taking it in his. Her knuckles were rough, reminding him of what she had gone through those six months she was living on the streets. He found callouses where her fingers met her palm and recalled how hard she had said she had worked all her life. Her nails were clipped short and clear of any polish. He admired her strength and independent spirit, but couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret that she had to use her strength so much. He had left the old ways of ‘the roles of women’ behind a while ago, but couldn’t help but feel an urge to protect her, to make sure she didn’t have to fight for anything anymore. He wanted those callouses to fade and soft skin return to her knuckles.

 

This time, when Mara stirred, she woke up. She yawned and blinked her eyes open to see Matthias sitting across from her, awake and smiling. She mumbled out a tired ‘good morning’ and sat up. It as then she realized he was holding one of her hands in both of his.  “Good morning skat.” (darling/treasure)

Mara cocked her had at the word. Mathias looked slightly embarrassed. “Just another term of endearment.”  “You’re going to have to teach me Danish at some point.” He nodded and let go of her hand. She couldn’t help but miss the warmth, both on her hand and in her chest.

“We landed a little bit ago, let's  get going. He practically leaped up from his seat and made it to the door in just a few long strides. Mara shook her head in amusement at his excitement and made her way off the plane at a slightly slower pace.

The two hours it took to get to the familiar small-town Mara and her sister used to spend so much time in during the summers when they weren’t helping around their Grandparents’ property.

Most of those two hours were spent by Matthias blasting the radio and singing the songs he knew at full volume and slightly off-key. Mara wasn’t really into pop, but even she had heard some of the songs that came over the radio. When she recognized one, she found herself singing along with Matthias.

This was all so  _normal._  Taking a trip together, signing, joking, laughing in the car were all things that Mara never had, she never had  _normal._  Gone were her insecurities, gone was the weight of her parents’ greed and disapproval, gone was her mistrust of  _everything._  She was just a twenty-something girl taking a trip with her boyfriend. Mara looked over at him. Could she even call him that? What do you call someone that you have only known for a few days, but had proof that you were meant to be together? Not in the sense that most people used, where they just felt it, but  _knew_  because the only beings that could prophesize these things had said Fate itself had decided.

Again, she felt that warm feeling grow in her chest. What was that?

Mara smiles as Matthias did his best rendition of an Ed Sheeran song.

Was this love? How could she tell when she had never fallen in love before? Honestly though, she couldn’t bring herself to care if she had fallen in love with him yet or not. All she knew is that she had never felt like this before, had never been so happy and dare she say it,  _carefree_. It didn’t matter if she loved him yet or not, because now that she had gotten a small taste of what being with him would be like, Mara knew she could never go back. Mara prayed to whoever was listening. This  _had_  to work.

Mara was brought out of her thoughts when Matthias stopped singing. She was still staring at him and noticed a small blush growing on his cheeks.  She squeezed his hand to offer some kind of comfort for whatever was bothering him. She squeezed his hand. Mara looked down and saw that her hand was over his, she must have reached for it without realizing. Now that she was also sporting her own blush, she pulled her hand away only to be stopped. Matthias turned his palm over and laced their fingers together. She had to suppress the urge to giggle like some lovesick schoolgirl. Luckily, they were spared the embarrassment of trying to talk about it as the town came into view.

Some of the good feelings drained away as she set eyes on the familiar places and streets and the memories came flooding back. They were all good memories, her and Michelle wandering around the flea market and bookstore, her grandparents talking them to the movies and out to eat.

It wasn’t the memories that hurt, it was hurt was the fact that she was never going to be able to do those things again.

_Damn, you’d think I would have figured that out by now._

She had never really grieved for her family, she had never allowed herself to. It would open the floodgates to emotions she wasn’t ready to deal with yet. She had been living with her parents up until a short time ago, and she knew they didn’t care that she had just lost her sister and grandparents, they didn’t care that they had just lost a  _daughter_ and her father his parents. The first thing they had told her after the funeral was that she was expected to get a second job to ‘pick up the slack’.

In order to deal, to just keep moving, she had locked away her grief. She pushed it so far down that she stopped crying, she tried to stop remembering. The only memento of her sister she kept was the photo beside her bed.

But everything had changed. She wasn’t with her parents anymore, she didn’t need to hide her grief. That was why she had asked to come here. She had spent so long suppressing it, that she didn’t know how to deal with it. The only way she could think to bring out these emotions was to force them out, force her to feel. What better way than to go to the only place they all were ever together and happy?

She felt Matthias squeeze her hand. “Are you ok?” “Yeah. Just…a lot of memories here.”

“I take it you were pretty close with your grandparents.” Mara gave a short bitter laugh. “You could say that. They were better parents than my real ones.” The words were out before she could stop herself. She felt a blast of cold fear go through her. She had said too much, she had said  _way_  too much!

Matthias was silent for a while. “What do you mean?” She started stammering. “I- I uh, well- it’s just that, w-what I meant…” shit, what could she  _possibly_  say to explain that? She knew she would have to tell him eventually, but not like this. She wanted time to deal before she had to relive it all when she told him. If she hadn’t waited until they got here, it would have been easier. This place full of memories made her raw with emotion and she was scared that if she started to talk about it, she would break down. She hadn’t cried in front of anyone since her sister died. That was almost ten years ago. The idea of breaking down in front of someone, of showing that much vulnerability, terrified her.

Matthias pulled into a parking lot, turned the car off and turned to her, taking both of her hands in his.

“Calm down skat.” He told her, looking her in the eyes. She held his gaze, her panic starting to ebb. “Deep breaths, ok?” She nodded, their eyes still locked. “Whatever it is, you can talk to me, ok?” Mara shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. “Mara, let me help.” She took a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m not sure why I freaked out like that.”   He rolled his eyes to try and lighten the mood a little. “Don’t apologize. Now can you tell what happened?”  She looked down at their joined hands. “Not yet. I didn’t think coming here would mess me up this bad and I know that I will have to tell you everything soon. And for the most part, it isn’t even all that dramatic. But I need some time to sort myself out first before I start talking about it.”  He stared at her for a while, making her feel like he was searching for something. He finally nodded. “Ok, skat. Take your time.”

 

They drove the rest of the way to the house, Matthias was still singing, but quieter and what she assumed was Danish. It was calming and by the time they reached the front gate, she was relaxed and smiling again. She couldn’t really help it, Matthias radiated happiness. It was impossible to stay upset around him for long. As soon as he turned off the car, he hopped out. He spun, taking in everything all at once, the towering pine trees, the fruit trees, and the fragrant air. “It’s beautiful out here!” Mara laughed at his excitement. “Yeah, it’s just like I remember it.”

It really was, she almost expected her Grandmother to come rushing out the door, her arms open wide to welcome both her and her sister. As they walked through the door, she expected to see her Grandpa in his recliner, sneaking one of his wife’s freshly baked brownies she always made whenever they came over.

But they weren’t there. They never would be again. The furniture was all the same, the décor still in place, but the usual background noise was gone. Her Grandpa was always watching an old western and her Grandma listened to music in whatever room she was in, all overpowered by their playful banter. It was eerily quiet now, the kind of quiet that was deafening.  

 

Matthias watched as she stood in the center of the living room, as if in a trance. She was taking all of this harder than she admitted. She looked so lost, every instinct he had told him to help her but for the life of him, he didn’t know how. She made it clear she didn’t want to talk. He walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder. It seemed to snap her out of it, she looked up at him with a sorry excuse for a smile. “Hey.” She said in a low voice laden with unshed tears. He smiled softly. “Hey.” His hand traveled from her shoulder to her hand. “I guess it would be kind of stupid to ask you how you are doing.”

Mara gave a short laugh. “Yeah, kinda.” She squeezed his hand before letting go and taking a step back. “So, you want me to show you around?” He surprised her by shaking his head. “Do we have food?” realization dawned on her. “Shit. We don’t. we need to go to the store, I can’t believe I forgot that!” “Don’t worry about it, I’ll go. You stay here and do what you need to do.” The obvious shock on her face would have offended him if he got offended by things. “Wow, Matthias… that’s really considerate.”

From all the talking they did on the plane, she gathered that he wasn’t one to think what others wanted when he decided to do things. He smirked. “I have my moments.” He pat her on the arm in a casually affectionate way. “You go do what you need to do, I’ll be back in a bit.”

 

After she had seen him off, Mara went back into the house, where she stood at the back door gathering her courage. Taking one more deep breath, she opened the door and stepped outside.

The garden was as beautiful as ever. As a child, she had been convinced that fairies lived in the garden and that’s why it seemed so magical. But she barely noticed the flowers this time, looked right past the fountain, the roses, the butterflies and the birds playing in the bird bath. She walked slowly, her gaze darting from the ground to the tree line and back again. Sooner than what she thought she was ready for, she had reached the end of the path and stood in front of three headstones mostly covered in dirt and leaves. It looked like no one had been out to take care of them. And why would they, she was family, it was her responsibility, not theirs.

She knelt to the ground in front of her Grandparent’s headstones and started to brush away the leaves. Her hands shook.

“Hey guys. Long time no see, huh? I’m sorry I’ve waited so long. I should have come here sooner, but…

Well, you know how my parents are. But I’m back now, for a few days at least. But don’t worry, I’ll be coming back more often now, I promise.”

She moved on to Michelle’s.

“Hey sweetie. I know…I know…” Her eyes welled up with tears. “If you were here, you would tell me not to worry about it, that you understood why I stayed away for so long. But the truth is, even if I was able to, I’m not sure I would have come at all. God, I’m terrible.” Tears were running down her cheeks. “I didn’t want to come because then it would have been real, you know? That sounds so childish and pathetic, but it’s true. I didn’t want to say goodbye, I still don’t!” She was sobbing now. She rested her head against the cool stone. “But it’s not about me, is it? You’re gone, and no amount of denial is going to change that. As you would say, ‘time to woman up’. Goddamn, there is so much I want to tell you, so much has happened. You know how you always wanted to travel? Well I got to go to New York a little while ago. Granted, I was sent there against my will and lived on the streets for a while, but I know that was one of the places you had always wanted to see. So much has changed.” Her breathing started to calm the more she talked to her. Even though it was a one-sided conversation, it was the first time she had talked to her sister in years. It was calming.

“I kinda met someone. I know, me, Mara, meeting a guy. But it’s true! I don’t know him all that well yet, but he is really nice. A little bossy at times, but sweet. He makes me happy, M. I haven’t been happy since you left. You’d be proud of me, I’ve learned to fight. I’m pretty good at it too. I’ve had to use my skills more often than I like, but they have come in handy.” She smiled. “You’d like Matthias. He kind of reminds me of you in a way. He’s really positive and funny. He likes to sing and he makes me laugh. I really like him, M. I think I like him a lot.”

 

 

Matthias set the groceries down on the counter and called out for Mara. When there was no answer, he eyed the back door. He didn’t know his way around the property yet, but he wanted to make sure she was ok.

He was stunned by the beauty of the garden for a few minutes, but he eventually made his way along the path. He was about ready to turn around once he reached the end, but then he caught sight of something. He walked forward past the last bush and saw his soulmate sleeping, curled against a headstone. He looked around sadly. This must be her family. He walked over and gingerly picked her up, holding her against his chest. He felt a small thrill as he felt her nuzzle his chest in her sleep. It just felt so  _right_ , so perfect.

He walked as steady as he could back up to the house. It wasn’t until he got inside that he realized he didn’t know where any of the bedrooms were at. He wandered around till he found one. He gently set her down on the soft white bed and crawled in beside her. He pulled her to his chest once more and reveled in the feeling of her snuggling into him. He ran his finger through her hair as his own eyes grew heavy. 


	37. Norway's Route Chapter 2

By the time they made it to the plane, Mara was completely drained. She plopped down in her seat while Lukas went to talk to the pilot about the change in plans. The entire drive had been in a tense silence. Neither of them had said a single word to each other. Mara had tried, but every time she had turned to look at him, her words got caught in her throat. She just couldn’t get a read on him. At Alfred’s house, he hadn’t  _acted_  like he was upset about anything but now that they were alone together, he looked like he wanted nothing to do with her.

 _Did I do anything wrong?_  She didn’t think so, but Lukas was obviously unhappy about  _something._

Mara sighed and put her head in her hands. Leave it her to mess things up with her soulmate less than an hour into it.

 _Sulking isn’t going to fix anything,_  she scolded herself. She picked her head up only to feel another pang of hurt. There he was, sitting across from her, his head in a book and seemingly uncaring of what was going on with her.

 _Come on, what did you expect?_   _I guess it doesn’t matter that we’re soulmates. Why would a stranger care about me anyway?_

She mentally cursed when she felt tears gathering in the corners if her eyes. Damn, why was this affecting her this much? Why the hell should she care if Lukas cared about her or not?

She stood up without a word and walked as calmly as possible to the bathroom before he could see her crying.  

 

Lukas stared at her, worried and confused. What had made her so upset? Had she been  _crying?_

He let out a curse. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew he had messed something up. Maybe he should have said something when he first saw something was bothering her, but he had decided to give her some space first. That’s what he preferred anyway. Had he been wrong? Maybe she  _wanted_  him to talk to her.

He was  _so_ unprepared for this, he couldn’t even remember the last time he was in a relationship. What was he supposed to do? He had hoped that things would come easily since they were soulmates, but that didn’t look to be the case. He hadn’t been sure about all of this until he saw her again, waiting for him with a nervous smile. Something about her called to him, and he found himself more excited than he had been about anything in a long time. But he had already messed that up. How was he supposed to fix this?

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard her hesitant steps. He looked up and felt his heart lurch. Her eyes were red and puffy. She  _had_  been crying.

She kept her eyes on the floor as she walked over to her seat and sat down.

“I’m sorry.”

Her eyes snapped up to his.

“What?”

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

It was Lukas’ turn to look down. “I’m not sure what I did, but you were crying, and I can only guess that it was my fault somehow, so I’m sorry.”

 

Mara paused to study him. Had she read him wrong? Could he be as unsure of himself as she was? How was she supposed to know that? It’s not like he had said anything to her.

Mara chuckled.

“Did I say something funny?” He sounded a little offended.

She shook her head quickly. “No! It’s just that, well I guess we are more alike than I thought.”

He looked confused, so she explained.

“I was upset because I thought I had done something wrong.”

“What could you have possibly done wrong?”

Mara shrugged. “Not sure, but every time I looked at you, you looked like you would like to be anywhere than here, so I just assumed.”

“Ah…” He sounded disappointed.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized immediately.

He shook his head. “No, I’m the one who is sorry. I’ve been told that my neutral face puts people off.

Mara giggled. “RBF syndrome.”

At his blank look, she laughed again. “Resting Bitch Face.” His lips pulled up in an amused smile.

“That sounds pretty accurate actually.”

He looked a little embarrassed. “I should probably work on that.”

“No, It’s fine. That’s just how your face is. I think we may have to work on communication instead of just assuming something is wrong.”

Lukas nodded. “That would probably be for the best.”

 

Despite their words, they slipped into another silence full of awkward glances at each other. Finally, Mara just had to laugh. “We’re not too good at this, are we?”

“I guess not.” He agreed with another amused smile.

“Ok!” Mara sat up straighter and folded her hands in front of her.

“I’ll start. I like to read, but I also work a lot so I don’t usually have the time. When I’m not working or reading I go to the gym and practice kickboxing.”

He stared at her as if shocked by the information dump. “What about family?”

“Ah…well, it’s just me and my parents now and we aren’t close.” He raised an eyebrow in a silent question. Mara shrugged. “It’s just how they are.”

“Friends?” Mara shook her head. “None. I like to keep to myself, so that makes it hard to make friends.”

She acted like it didn’t bother her, but Lukas could hear the loneliness in her voice. He didn’t have many friends either, but at least he had the other Nordics. From what she had said, she didn’t have anyone.

“If you aren’t close with your family and you don’t have friends, then who are we going to see?”

Mara winced, and Lukas cursed his blunt way of speaking. Before he could apologize, Mara explained. “My Grandparents left me their house and property in their Will and they are buried on the property. I never got to say goodbye before they died, so I just wanted to visit before I left.”  

“You were close to them?”    Lukas’ voice was soft, his usual monotone giving way to the grief he saw in her eyes. Mara nodded. “Really close.”  She felt a hand cover hers. She looked up and saw Lukas looking out of the window with the smallest of blushes on his face. Mara smiled, now understanding that he wasn’t upset, just embarrassed. His hand wasn’t warm like she had expected. It was cool to the touch, but it was comforting in a weird way.

Mara was going to tell him ‘thanks’, but thought better of it. He might take his hand away if she did that.

 

They sat in silence for a while longer. Mara was just about to fall asleep when Lukas spoke.

“I like to read too.” Mara looked up at him quizzically. “You told me about yourself.” Mara smiled and nodded for him to continue.

“I also like chess. I usually play with my little brother when he decides to visit. I like baking too, I find it relaxing. I also like music. When I’m walking around I usually have my headphones in. I don’t have much in the way of friends, but I have the other Nordics. They have been the closest thing to family I’ve had my entire life. Emil is the exception, he really is family.”

“Emil is…Iceland, right?”  Lukas nodded, seemingly pleased that she remembered his little brother.

Mara smiled softly. “You two are close.” Lukas nodded again. “He doesn’t really like it, but he will always be my baby brother. I know he is capable of taking care of himself but…”

“He’s your brother. You’re always going to worry about him.” 

Lukas nodded, amazed that she understood him so well. Mara smiled. “I was the same way with…” She trailed off, horrified that she had said so much. Lukas noticed her change in mood and grew concerned. What could have her so freaked out?  
“You have a sibling?” he asked cautiously.

Mara stared down at her hands while she collected herself. She hadn’t planned on telling him about Michelle so soon, not before she could confront her own feelings. It had been so long since she had allowed herself to grieve, she wasn’t sure she knew how anymore. She looked up at him and sighed.

He was waiting patiently, and she got the feeling that if she told him she didn’t want to talk about it, he would nod and let it go with no questions asked.

“I…I did.”

Lukas stared at her.  _Did? Past tense, so that means…_

“What happened?”

Mara kept staring at her hands. Somehow it was easier to talk this way than looking at him.

“She was shot on her way home from a party. The guy asked her for her wallet, but once she reached into her purse to get it, he shot her. We were 16.”

Lukas didn’t know what to say. So young, she had lost her sister when she was so young. He stared at her and saw that she was doing everything she could to hold back her tears. Her back was straight, and her legs crossed, her face turned to the side as she resolutely glared out the window. But her hands shook, and her breath hitched here and there.

He reached out and took her hands in his. She looked over at him, and he gazed into her eyes. He didn’t have words, none that would take her pain away, so he tried to convey his emotions through his eyes. He wished he  _could_  take her pain away, he wished he could say something and make her feel better, but that’s not how it works. Healing takes time and he would be there, no matter how long it took.

He hoped she understood that.

 

Mara couldn’t bring herself to look away. She expected him to try and say something, but he stared at her. The cool comfort of his hands and the raw emotions she saw in his eyes calmed her, grounded her.

She offered a small smile and took a deep breath. He let go of her hands and she found herself wishing he didn’t.

She opened her mouth, but Lukas cut her off. “Don’t say thank you, there’s no need. As long as you understand.”  Mara smiled. She was right. She got the feeling when he was trying to calm her that he was making a silent promise not to go anywhere. She wasn’t sure  _how_  she knew, but she did.

“I do.”

“Good.”

He returned to his book and Mara figured he was going to be in his own world for a while, but then she felt a cool hand over hers. She looked up, but Lukas was still engrossed in his book. Mara smiled and closed her eyes. As she drifted off, she could have sworn she felt another cool hand gently placed on her head, soothing her to sleep.

 

Mara woke with a start as the plane touched down. After she calmed her heart down, she looked over at Lukas, expecting him to be asleep. But he was awake, hands gripping a coffee cup as if it were a life preserver and he was lost at sea. “I thought you would still be asleep.” Lukas looked at her from over his cup and grunted. “Not a morning person?” He grunted again.

Mara laughed when she saw a now empty coffee pot sitting next to him. “Did you get any sleep at all?” He nodded and set down his cup. “Some.” His voice was gruff and deeper than normal, still laden with sleep. Mara couldn’t help but admit to herself that it was more than a little attractive.

Lukas took his time finishing his last cup of coffee, and when he finally set it down, they had been landed for several minutes.

Mara watched him as he stared longingly into his empty cup and sigh. “We can get going now.” Mara smiled and followed him off the plane. She knew he was attractive, but she hadn’t expected him to be so…cute.

“Don’t worry,” She reassured him as they climbed into the waiting car. “There are a few coffee places along the way.” 

“Drive through?”

Mara nodded and had to hold back a giggle as she saw how happy that made him.

 

The drive was quiet, but comfortingly so. Lukas had bought her a coffee a few miles back, and Mara sipped on it slowly as a familiar town came into view. “I used to love coming here with Michelle.” She said softly. “We usually looked around the old bookstore, but we walked all over the place.” Mara smiled sadly as the bittersweet memories came flooding back. “Our Grandparents would take us to the seafood place all the time. It was My grandma’s favorite. They would take us to the movie theater on the weekends, so we could try and mingle with kids our age, but most of the people in this town are seniors.” Mara laughed at that memory. The only kids their age were usually visiting their grandparents too.

Lukas listened to her as she recalled the part of her childhood she spent here. It sounded like she was happy here. He wondered why she hadn’t come back when she inherited the house.

“Do we need food for the house?” He asked as he saw a grocery store. Mara nodded, so he turned into the parking lot and turned off the car. Before she could get out, Lukas took hold of her hand. “Are you ok?” Mara looked back at him, confused. “Of course.” He shook his head. “No, are you  _really_  ok? Being here can’t be easy.” Mara sighed. “It’s not, but that’s kind of why I needed to come back here. Once we get to your place, who knows when I will be able to come here next.”

“We can come back whenever you want. I won’t keep you from going wherever you want to go.”

Mara’s heart melted at his words. “Thank you, Lukas.” He smiled softly. “You don’t have to thank me kjære.” (dear)

 

They were back on the road a few minutes later and soon the front gate of the house came into view.

Lukas turned into the long gravel path and followed it to the house. The house itself was simple enough, a white single-story farmhouse with a wraparound front porch and a couple of rocking chairs. Tall pine trees lined one side of the property and the other had a few fruit trees and a swing hanging from an old oak.

He parked and Mara got out of the car, her eyes taking in everything all at once. “I forgot just how beautiful it is out here.” Lukas had to smile at the peaceful look on her face. She turned to him with a brilliant smile and Lukas felt his breath catch in his throat. “Come on, lets put the food away and I’ll show you around.”

 _Gods, does she know how beautiful she is?_  He followed behind her, watching her hair sway as she walked, catching the faint scent of her shampoo. He felt a little creepy but he couldn’t help it, the more time he spent with her, the more she captivated him.

 

The tour was a short one. Most of the house was taken up by the kitchen and living room and a whole third of the house was the Master Suite. The furniture was old but nice and there were paintings decorating a wall in the living room.

He took a quick glance around his room, simple white room with opaque white curtains framing a floor to ceiling window and a comfortable looking bed with a wrought iron headboard and covered in pillows.

“It’s nice.” Mara smiled. “Yeah, my grandma always had a knack for decorating.” She nodded towards the bed where his bag was laying. “You can put your stuff up later, I’ve got something to show you.”

Lukas cocked his head. “What is it?” Mara smiled. “Don’t worry, I got a feeling you’ll like it.” 

A hundred different things went through his head, but he scratched off the ones that weren’t exactly

PG-13. He had a feeling she wouldn’t be that forward.

Lukas silently followed behind her as she led him towards and out of the back door.

He sucked in a breath as he stepped outside. It was beautiful, unlike anything he had seen. A garden filled with bright, colorful flowers, bushes, and small trees. Flowering vines crawled up the taller trees and he could see hummingbirds and butterflies fluttering from flower to flower. She led him down the path and they came to a stop at the bird bath where a couple of bluebirds were playing. Here, the path widened and off to the side he could see a white stone bench surrounded by roses and he could hear a fountain not too far away. 

Mara smiled softly at the wonderment in his eyes. She had always felt the same whenever she came here. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” “Kan ikke begynner å beskrive det som vakkert.” (Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe it.) He said softly as if speaking too loud would chase everything away.

Mara hesitated, but reached for his hand and pulled him towards the bench to sit down.

They sat in silence, each of them lost in their thoughts and the beauty of the garden.

“My Grandma did this by herself.” “She must have been amazing.” He replied without looking at her. “She was. Saying she loved gardening would be an understatement. She even when to college for it.” Mara took a deep breath, taking in the sweet fragrant air and smiled. “When I was little, I used to believe fairies and gnomes lived in the garden and would help my Grandma with the garden.” Lukas smiled, as if he knew something she didn’t. “One time I went looking for them, I must have been out here for hours, looking in all the bushes and looking under all the rocks. Finally, Grandma asked me what in the world I was doing. I told her I was looking for the fairies who help in the garden and she just smiled. I guess most adults would tell kids that fairies weren’t real, but not my grandma. She told me that fairies were shy and didn’t like for people to see them, so they made themselves look like butterflies and the gnomes lived in secret tunnels underground.” Mara smiled at the memory. Her grandma really was a special person. She never tried to stifle her granddaughters’ imaginations or freedom. As long as they stayed in hearing range, she and her sister had free reign. “Do you still believe in them?” “In what, fairies?” Lukas nodded. He almost looked nervous. Mara smiled, a little sadly. I did for a while, but then I told one of my classmates what my grandma said and she laughed at me. She told the rest of the class and I was the but of every joke for a while. I stopped believing after that.”  He moved his hand next to hers in an offering of silent comfort, which made her smile.

“What about you? Do you believe in fairies and stuff?” Lukas was silent for a while, wondering just how he should answer that. He wasn’t exactly in the habit of telling people his affinity for magic and ability to see magical creatures, but Mara was different. He knew he couldn’t keep it a secret from her forever, considering he had exactly  _forever_  to spend with her.

“Much of my culture is tied back to the old legends and folklore.” He said carefully. “So, it is only natural that I still hold on to some of the old beliefs, considering I was alive when they weren’t ‘old’ but ‘current’.”  “Yeah, that makes sense.”

The conversation trailed off and they sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Lukas looked over when he heard her sigh. She was staring intently at a part of the garden shielded from view. “What’s over there?”  Mara sighed again. “It’s where my grandparents are buried. And my sister.”  He stared at the spot for a while. Mara thought he had dropped the subject, but he startled her when he stood up suddenly. “Lukas? Is everything alright?” He held his hand out to her, she looked at it then back up at him. “Trust me.” She stared at him a bit longer before slipping her hand into his and offering him a hesitant smile.

He led her through the garden, no longer going at a leisurely pace. Mara followed silently as he walked with purpose, trying to figure out where he was talking her.

 _Trust me._  He said it so simply, she had never fully trusted others. Yet she had so easily gone with him, almost without hesitation. Why had she trusted him so easily?  
 She was pulled from her thoughts as Lukas came to a stop. Mara looked around and got a sick feeling in her stomach.  _No, no, no_. She wasn’t ready for this, she couldn’t do this yet.  _I need more time!_

Lukas sensed her hesitation and gave her hand a light squeeze for comfort. “I know this isn’t easy.”

“What the hell do you know about it?!” She snapped. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Lukas let go of her hand and took a step away from her. He hadn’t said anything, but the distance she felt between them hurt her as if he had started screaming profanities at her. Mara walked up to the Headstones of her grandparents. “I’m sorry.” She muttered, speaking to both Lukas and her grandparents. She heard him walk up behind her. “I know this isn’t easy.” He said again. Mara nodded. “I know.” He walked beside her and held her hand. “It seems easier to try to ignore the hurt, ignore  _them_ ,” He gestured to the graves in front of them. “But it will only eat you away until you have nothing left.” Mara felt a stab of grief as she heard the tone in his voice, it sounded like he was speaking from experience. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve been burring it all for so long, I-I just don’t know…” Her voice cracked, and she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

Lukas could hear that she was about to cry, and he started to panic a little. He had no idea what to do to help her. “Do you want me to leave you alone?” Mara shook her head. “Can you stay with me? I- I don’t want to be alone right now.” He nodded and knelt, pulling her hand to join him. “You should try talking to them.” He offered. Mara was silent for a while before clearing her throat. “Um, Hey. It’s been a while huh?” She started to clear away the layer of dirt and leaves covering the headstones. “I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long. I know it was selfish of me.” She wiped away the tears that were starting to fall. “I miss you, both of you, so much. When you… you left, I didn’t just lose my grandparents. I lost my home. This was the only place I felt loved, felt safe. I wanted to come back, I did, but I couldn’t. I’m so sorry.”

Mara moved to her sister’s headstone. “Hey, M.” Mara’s hand’s shook as she brushed away the leaves. “I-I really miss you, you know? I was angry for a while.” Mara started sobbing. “I was so alone after you left, Michelle! Why did you have to leave?! I didn’t have anyone! I was so alone, and I was scared!” She was shouting, forgetting that Lukas was next to her. “Why did you have to leave?” She whispered. “Mom and dad got worse after you left.” Lukas’ head jerked to look at her.  _Worse?_

“They were gone for a whole week. I thought they had just found a motel near a casino to stay in again. Hell, for a minute I even thought that they missed you in their own fucked up way. But it turns out they had found a lawyer a few towns away and were trying to get access to what Grandma and Grandpa had left for us in their Will. Fortunately, they couldn’t. Once they got back, I had to take up another job. It was hard, working and still going to school. They were gone for days at a time. I know they were like that before, but at least I had you… This time, I was alone.”

Lukas felt an odd mix of rage and grief.  _We’re not close…It’s just me and my parents now…_

There were so many clues, but he never put the pieces together.

Being as old as he was, he has seen the best and worst of humanity, but it never seemed to horrify him to see and hear what people could do to each other. In the grand scheme of things, what Mara had gone through hand been nothing. But how could he consider it nothing when he was watching her break apart right in front of him? How could parents not love their children? It was unnatural.

Mara continued to let loose her pent-up grief, crying until she had nothing left. The sun had started to set, and the air was getting cold. She brought her knees up to her chest for warmth. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Lukas standing. “I forgot you were there.” He nodded. “I know.” He helped her stand. “We should get you inside before you get sick.” She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. “W-what about you?” Lukas chuckled, and Mara felt her heart skip at the sound. “I’m Norwegian, this is nothing.” “Are you sure?” He smiled softly, her concern warmed him. “I am fine kjære, don’t worry.”  She smiled up at him. “If you say so.” “I do.” He saw her shiver again. “Come on. When we get inside I’ll start a fire in the fireplace so you can get warm.” They started up the path again and Mara giggled. “You’re sweet, Lukas. Thanks.” He blushed a little. “I’m not sweet.” “Yes, you are.” His blush got worse and Mara just had to giggle again. “Whatever happened to me having, what was it you called it? RBF?” Mara shrugged. “You’re sweet to me at least.”  Thankfully they had made it to the house and Lukas could busy himself with making the fire so he didn’t have to continue that ridiculous conversation. 

In a few short minutes, he had the fire going and Mara happily sat in front of it.

“You’re going to have to get used to colder weather you know.”

Mara looked back at him, he was sitting on the couch, face in another book. “I know.” She turned back around to the fire. “I’m looking forward to it, actually.” Lukas looked up from his book, surprised to hear her say that. “You are?” Mara turned back to him with a smile. “Of course! It’s somewhere new, and from what I can tell from pictures, it looks beautiful.” Lukas smiled softly. “It is.”

His expression went back to normal and he turned back to his book. “When we get there, maybe I can show you around.” When she first met him, she wouldn’t have been able to tell, but by now Mara could hear the slight nervousness in his voice. “Really? You think you’ll have time?” His lips twitched in another smile when he heard the excitement in her voice. “I’ll find the time. It won’t be a problem.”

Mara felt the strangest urge to run over and hug him. She knew he probably wouldn’t appreciate that, so she sat still. It was harder than she would have thought. “Thank you, Lukas.”

He felt his heart skip a beat when she smiled at him. What was this woman doing to him? No woman had ever affected him like this, made him feel…giddy. Almost. But he definitely was happier around her.

He frowned slightly when she yawned. “You should go to bed.” “So should you.” She retorted. He shook his head. “I’m fine.” Mara got up at walked over him. “You have to be more tired than I am, jet lag and all that.” He shrugged. “I’m fine.” Mara glared at him, then sat down next to him. “I won’t go to bed until you do.” Lukas glared back at her. “You are stubborn.” Mara smirked. “So are you.”

They stare at each other for a while, silently daring the other to give in and go to bed first. Finally, Lukas sighed. “You aren’t going to budge, are you?” Mara shook her head. Not until you go to bed.” “Why?”

“Well, you have been so nice to me and everything, and I’m grateful and stuff.” Mara started to blush. “So I guess I’m worried about you. Or whatever.”

 _She worries about me?_  That thought made him happier than it should. “You don’t need to.” “I can’t really help it.” He stared at her for a while, trying to figure out the woman in front of him. “Fine.” “Huh?” “I'll go to bed. Only because you are too stubborn to go to bed.” Mara smiled. “There, was that so hard?” Lukas walked off so she wouldn’t see his small smile. “Shut up.” He closed the door behind him so he wouldn’t have to hear Mara’s giggling.


	38. Finland's Route Chapter 2

They arrived at the small private airport she learned Alfred had bought just for the Countries’ use.

Mara got herself settled on the plane as Tino talked to the pilot in a rush of what, to her, sounded like gibberish.  _I guess that’s what Finnish sounds like. Isn’t it supposed to be one of the hardest languages to learn?  And I already suck at learning languages. Great. Well, if everything goes right, I’ll have a long time to learn it._

She suddenly realized the implications of it, of everything, of  _them_. If there was going to be a  _them,_  she would be practically immortal, god knows how long she would be alive. What would that be like? To spend decades and centuries alive, watching the people around you get born, grow up and die, over and over, without an end in sight?

Her heart started to pound and her head was spinning. Her mind couldn’t comprehend that much time passing. Until now, she had felt that her 25 years of life had been long. She was just a few years off of 30, which had messed with her mind for a few weeks after her birthday.

That seemed so small now, now that she was potentially facing an eternity.

Until now, she had been running on autopilot, only dealing with the things she could handle and ignoring the rest. It was how she had lived most of her life, after all. 

She tried to shove down her rising panic.  _I’m not ready for this. This is all too much. I-I need time to figure this all out! I’m not ready for an eternity with someone I barely know!_

 

Just as quick as her panic started, it started to fade away. Once Mara could think straight again, she realized there was a pair of warm hands holding her own in a gentle but firm grip which effectively grounded her. She looked up and saw Tino looking at her worriedly.

“How, uh, how long have you been there?”

“Long enough to see you looking scared. Are you ok?”

Mara answered with a small nod and what she hoped was a convincing smile. “Sorry about that.”

He looked confused. “About what?”

“About freaking out like that. I should have kept it together.”

He leaned forward slightly, his hands gripping hers a little tighter. “You have nothing to worry about. Everyone is allowed to freak out sometimes. Especially you. I can’t imagine that these past few months have been easy.”

Mara gave a short, humorless laugh and shook her head. “You could say that.”

“You can talk about it if you want. I am always here to listen.”

It was Mara’s turn to look confused. “You would want to listen to me bitch and complain about my problems?” 

Tino shook his head sadly. “It’s not ‘bitching and complaining’, it’s talking, venting. It’s ok to talk about your problems, everyone should.”

Mara felt her heart tug at his words. She couldn’t remember the last time she talked about things with anyone, ever. Not since her sister. Even then, Mara kept thing bottled up for most of the time.

“I-I wouldn’t know where to start.”

He smiled that smile of his, the one that made her heart flutter. “You can start at the beginning if you want. Or wherever you feel comfortable.”

There was a part of her that wanted to tell him everything, spill every last detail and finally have someone to talk to about everything. She never had before. Even when her sister was alive, Michelle was going through the same thing she was, so why would Mara pile on her own shit? She opened her mouth, the words on the tip of her tongue, but a louder, more cynical voice spoke up. This is the one she usually listened to.   _He probably doesn’t really mean it, and if he does, he doesn’t know what he is getting in to. It’s probably better to not say anything. It’s gotten me through this far, why change it up?_

She closed her mouth again and cleared her throat. “It’s just that being on the streets that long wasn’t easy. I don’t remember much of the night I was found, but I hear I was pretty bad off. Then to have all that information dumped on me at once… It just got overwhelming for a bit.” She looked down at their hands. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as lied to him.  _It’s not_ really  _lying, I’m just not telling him everything. It more…omission than lying._ She didn’t believe it for a second.

She managed to glance up at him. “I’m fine now.” For the first time in her life, she felt guilty for that lie.

It was those eyes, those goddamn beautiful eyes that pulled at her heartstrings and urged her to trust him. They were so warm, so gentle and caring. Maybe she should…  _No. I can’t._

 

Tino didn’t believe her for a second. For a few seconds, he thought he could see past those walls, he saw just how vulnerable she really was, how hurt and lonely. But just as quick as he saw it, she seemed to retreat back behind her walls. She didn’t trust him yet.  _Time. It will just take some time._  He reminded himself.

He resigned himself to giving her hands a light squeeze before finally letting them go. “If you are sure, rakas. But if you need to talk, about anything, I’m always here, ok?”  He saw a flash of that small, polite smile before she nodded. “Thank you.”

 

In order to keep away the impending awkward silence, Tino filled it with talk of his home; the historical places, and the modern ones that were popping up, his favorite festivals, how amazing saunas were, the food, and everything in between. Mara smiled softly at the pride in his eyes as he talked. He really did have a fierce love of his home. And it really made sense, since he was the personification. But it warmed her heart none the less to see him so passionate.

The topic changed to his fellow Nordics, the mishaps and the mayhem, the tricks and jokes they played on each other. Then to the old stories and fairy tales.

 

As Tino wove tale after tale, Mara could feel herself being lulled to sleep by his gentle voice. She fought to keep her eyes open but drifted off with a small smile on her face.

 

Tino’s voice trailed off as soon as he saw Mara’s eyes drift shut, a smile on his lips that matched hers. He quietly got up and came back with a small pillow and a blanket. As gently as he could, he repositioned her so she would be more comfortable, tucked the pillow under her head and covered her with the blanket. Before he could pull away, Tino found his hand hovering over her face, his fingertips centimeters away from her cheek. Her skin looked so soft…

Toni yanked his hand away as if he was burned. A blush rose to his cheeks. He had been about to touch her, just her cheek, sure, but even that had been so enticing.

_Has it really been that long, that I get that reaction over almost touching her cheek?_

Sure, it had been awhile since he had entertained the idea of an actual, real relationship. But it’s not like he had been celibate all these decades. It more that it was just…her, Mara.

He took his seat across from her again and stared openly at her. Something he had wanted to do since the moment he saw her, but he didn’t want to freak her out.  He sat there for a while, staring at her and sorting out his feelings.

After several minutes of staring and contemplating, he was no closer than when he began.

All he could think about was the brief glance he got of her without her guard up. His original thoughts had been right, something  _had_ happened to her.

He has always been one to want to help people, he hated to see anyone he was close to seriously upset, but this was different, this was…more. At this point, he would do anything to see that smile again, not the fake one she uses, but that real one, the one that made his heart beat faster for a few seconds.

_Time,_  He reminded himself.  _Everything will happen in time._

Mara woke to the feeling of the sun on her face. She pulled the blanket over her face and tried to get back to sleep.  _Alfred is probably at work already. I’ll just have a lazy day. Sleeping in never hurt anyone._

_Wait._

_Didn’t I leave with Tino?_

 

Her eyes snapped open and peaked out from under the blanket. Sure enough, there was Tino, sitting across from her, leaning on the wall of the plane and fast asleep. Now that she had a few hours’ sleep and had a chance to calm down, she took the time to really look at him.

_He’s…kinda cute…_

His pale blond hair was disheveled and fell over his eyes. His face was round and even in his sleep, he had a small smile. Her own lips twitched in a smile unconsciously.

At first glance, his figure wasn’t all that imposing, his rounded shoulders gave him a kind of meek appearance. But he had taken off his sweater while she was sleeping and now that she saw him in a short sleeve shirt, she noticed the defined muscles on his arms and got the hint that he either worked out or worked hard, maybe both.

_Lucky me._

Mara blushed and shook her head ant the stray thought.  She saw him starting to stir so she quickly sat up and tried to act like she hadn’t been checking him out.  He blinked his eyes open, still looking mostly asleep. “Good morning.” He grunted out. “Good morning.”  She folded the blanket and looked up at him. “Um, thanks for the blanket and pillow. That was really sweet.”

He nodded. “I hoped they made you more comfortable.” He looked and sounded gruffer than he had before. She watched him stand up and walk over to the small coffee machine like an actual zombie.

_Someone’s not a morning person._ Mara notices with an amused smile. 

Once the coffee had been brewed, she was shocked to see him take the whole pot back to the table with a small coffee mug. He silently pored himself a cup and practically chugged it down. “Isn’t that, you know,  _really_  hot?” He nodded and did the same with his second cup. On the third, he finally started sipping it like a  _normal_  person. “Sorry about that. I’m told I’m kind of grumpy when I wake up.” Mara giggled and shook her head. “It’s fine. Not everyone is a morning person.” He chuckled. “I am, just after I have coffee.”

They sat in a comfortable silence as Tino drank the rest of the pot of coffee.

Mara looked down at the phone Alfred had bought her and noticed the time.

“We should have landed hours ago!” He nodded and reached over to open her window. “We did. I told the pilot to let us sleep in before takeoff. I figured the both of us could use the extra sleep.”

Mara found herself touched by this thoughtfulness again. “You really are the sweetest guy, Tino.” She said before she could stop herself. Tino looked down into his empty coffee cup and blushed slightly.

“Yeah, well… I uh, I like to see you smile.”

It was Mara’s turn to blush.

Before the silence could drag on much longer, Tino suggested they get off the plane and make their way to her Grandparents house.

 

Mara spent most of the two-hour drive to the house looking out of the window as the memories came flooding back with every passing mile.

Tino spent it looking between her and the road. Even though she was silent, he could see that she was more relaxed than he had ever seen her. 

 

Once they reached the small town before the fast stretches of farmland that the house was on, Mara sat up in her seat and he could practically  _feel_  her excitement.

“Everything is exactly as I remember! There’s the flea market, Oh! And they moved the farmer’s market next to the butcher’s!  The theater is still open too!” For a few blissful moments, Mara was too caught up in her excitement to worry about keeping herself guarded.

“Oh man, when we were kids, we used to love walking around here! Everyone was so nice, I wonder if Mrs. Perkins still runs the used bookstore? She used to give discounts all the time to the kids. Me and Mich-”

Mara stopped.  _Michelle. For a minute, I almost forgot she…_  

Still, after all these years, she couldn’t even think of the word. It still hurt too much.

 

Tino instantly recognized Mara’s change in mood. He had been smiling along with her, happy that she seemed to be happy. Then she fell silent.

_What was she about to say? She kept saying ‘we’. Did she have a friend here?_

By now, Tino was dying for the answers to all of his questions but he kept quiet, trusting she would tell him when she was ready.

“Mara, are you ok?”

She seemed to snap out of whatever state she was in and gave him her usual small smile, the fake one.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just lost in thought.” She cleared her throat. “Just keep going straight from here, we should get there soon. Oh, and there won’t be any food at the house, so if you want, we can stop at the store just ahead.”   _She guarded again. Who knows when she’ll be that relaxed again?_  He thought sadly.

He wished she trusted him enough to open up, but he understood that trust took time, and time was something he had plenty of. 

 

The car was quiet for the rest of the drive, the only sound being Mara’s fingers absentmindedly tapping on the door.  It wasn’t until they reached an expanse of land lined with an old wooden fence with black paint peeling off that Mara seemed to perk up again.

“This is it! The gate should be on the left.”

Sure enough, in less than a minute they reached a black wooden gate. Mara jumped out to open it then close it behind them. She hopped back in and Tino was glad to see a real smile on her face. 

Just follow the gravel path, it’ll lead to the house.”

Tino spoke after a moment of silence. “It’s beautiful out here. There’s a lot of trees.”

Mara sighed happily. “Yeah. It’s always been my favorite place in the world. It’s been the only place I could be happy.”  He looked at her and Mara realized she had said too much. “Never mind, it’s nothing.”

Obviously, Tino didn’t believe her, but once again, he kept his questions to himself. This whole waiting thing was getting annoying, but he knew that if he tried to dig deeper, she was close up on him again.

They reached the house and Tino was impressed. It wasn’t large or ornate, it was actually a simple white farmhouse. But something about it brought him a sense of peace and comfort.

White pillars lining the wraparound porch, white rocking chairs and baskets of ferns hanging. There were fruit trees, tall pines and an old oak tree with a swing.

They got out of the car and Tino looked around. “Wow.”

Mara chuckled. “Yeah, felt like that every time I came here.”

 

They both brought in the groceries and Mara showed him around the house. Just like the outside, it wasn’t anything fancy, but it felt welcoming and happy.

 

After they had each gotten settled in their rooms, Mara offered to make them lunch.

They sat at the breakfast bar in more silence.

“After lunch, I can show you around the garden if you want. If you’re tired, then we can always do that later, it’s no problem. I just figured you might want to take a look, it’s pretty amazing actually. But I don’t want to impose-” Tino reached over and covered her hands in one of his. “I’m ok, kulta. I would love to see the garden.”

Mara was mentally kicking herself for being so nervous.  _He is the nicest person I have EVER met, and he is cute. I CANNOT mess this up._

If Mara counted all the guys she has ever been interested in, it wouldn’t even take up a whole hand. After a few failed attempts, she found out that dating just wasn’t her thing.

But now sitting across from her was  _literally_  the perfect man for her.

 

She hated to admit it, but Mara blushed. “Oh, ok, then. Good. Sorry, for uh, all the rambling. I swear I’m not usually like this.” She laughed nervously.

Tino just chuckled. “You have no reason to be nervous. Just be yourself, ok?”

She gave a sheepish smile. “Ok, I’ll try.” She noticed his empty plate. “Ready to go then?” He nodded.

 

She led him out of the back door and stepped aside so he could see. His jaw just about hit the floor.

“Mara, this is… Tämä on uskomatonta, se on niin kaunis!” (This is incredible, it’s so beautiful!)

Mara couldn’t help but giggle. “I have no idea what you just said.” 

“Oh, sorry. This is beautiful! Who did all this?”

Mara smiled sadly. “My grandma. She was amazing. Some of her friends have been coming by to keep it up, but no one is as good as her.” 

_So her Grandmother is dead. Probably her Grandfather too, considering this is his house and he isn’t here._  He looked at her and saw her sad smile.  _This has to be hard for her._

He reached out and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “Are you ok?” Mara nodded. “Yeah, it’s just kind of bittersweet. Come on, there is a lot to see.” She turned away from him and started walking. Tino could have sworn he heard her sniffle.

 

Mara and Tino walked side by side down the garden path, eventually drifting close enough that their hands would brush each other as they walked. Neither of them really minded.

 

Mara stopped abruptly. She looked ahead of her, there weren’t any more flowers or bushes along the path. Just up ahead was the edge of the forest.  _I really need to go up there, it’s the whole reason I’m here after all. But not yet. I should come back alone, I don’t think I would be able to handle it if Tino was there with me._

“We can turn back now, it’s just the woods up ahead. Besides, I think I could do with a nap.”

“A rest sounds good. Let’s go.” He held out his hand for her to take. Mara looked up at him and saw just how nervous he was. Mara hesitated for a second but then placed her hand in his. He gave her a big smile and they walked up the path together.

 

Tino sat in the living room by himself. Mara had gone to her room a while ago. He had tied to get some sleep too, but he was wide awake. He wandered the house for a while, then ended up sitting in an armchair staring at his phone.  He had several texts from Berwald and a few from Peter. He had responded to Peter’s immediately but hesitated over Ber’s. He knew just how lonely he must be. They had been separated before, they spent a lot of time in their own homes after all, but this was different. Their ‘relationship’ had ended the night Alfred called him. It hadn’t been easy, but Tino knew it had to be done, and Berwald understood. But Ber was still his best friend. Should he text back? Call? Berwald had never told him if he still held any feelings for him, but he had never said he hadn’t either.  _If he did, would I just be leading him on? I did tell him from the beginning that I never felt the same, but I don’t want to hurt him._ Tino sighed. He can’t keep doing this. He had always but Ber first. He never wanted to hurt him, but he needs to think about him and Mara now. If he wants a relationship, he has to finally let Berwald go. Soon enough, Ber would find his own soulmate, so it’s not like he would be alone forever. And Tino wasn’t going to cut him out completely, but Tino knew they needed to get used to being apart. With a sigh, Tino left his phone on the coffee table and stood. A walk in the garden would help clear his head.

 

Tino wandered aimlessly through the garden, letting the beautiful scenery calm him.  Eventually, his thoughts drifted to her.  _Mara._ He sighed. He really wished she would let him in. He figured that something bad had happened to her, people weren’t that guarded for no reason.  He knew that the best thing he could do for her is to make sure she knows he is there for her, no matter what.

_She said that this was the only place she could be happy. Does that mean she wasn’t happy at home? What happened to her?_

He couldn’t say for sure if the feelings he had for her were romantic yet, he would have to get to know her better first, but he did know that he wanted to take care of her, he wanted to make her happy.

_I need to stop worrying about it and just let things happen naturally. Trust comes with time, more time that the two days I’ve known her._

 

Tino finally looked up and realized he wasn’t in a part of the garden he recognized.  _This must be the part that leads to the woods._

He could tell no one came down here. The path had narrowed and the little that was left was almost overgrown with weeds. Just as he was about to turn around, he saw something up ahead that caught his eye. Large flat stones that reflected the sunlight filtering through the trees.  Curiosity got the best of him and he walked over to investigate.

Headstones. They were headstones. He looked at the first one, the largest one.

‘ _ **Sigrid Romero & Fernando Diaz Romero’**_

_These must be her grandparents. This must be why she wanted to come here before we left._

_He read her grandmother’s name again._ _Sigrid. That must be where her Swedish side comes from._

_He moved on to the second headstone, this one smaller and plainer._

_**Michelle Romero** _

_**1992-2008** _

 

Under the dates, in what looked to be scratched in by a knife, read

 

_Beloved sister_

Finally, everything made sense.  _Her sister died when she was just 16._

_Oh, my poor kulta._

 

There were still some things left unanswered, but now he felt like he understood her a bit more. She had lost her sister at a young age. Anyone would be messed up about that.

 

Tino briefly wondered if he should tell her he had found them but quickly decided against it.

_She will tell me when she’s ready to face it._

_Time. All I need to do is wait._


	39. Russia's Route Chapter 2

Ivan hadn’t let go of her hand for more than the few seconds it took for them to get into the car, and if she were honest with herself, she didn’t really mind it. His hand was much larger than hers and warm, holding hers in a firm, but not uncomfortable grip. It was loose enough that she could pull her hand away if she wanted to, but she didn’t. He sat close to her in the back as the driver took them to the airport. His large frame was almost overpowering compared to hers, which was a feeling she was definitely not used to. She wasn’t giant, but she was used to being eye level with people. As Ivan moved even closer to her, so that her right side was completely flush against him, she felt positively tiny. It wasn’t just his height either, he was broad and slightly barrel-chested with a generous amount of muscle she felt as his arm wrapped around her protectively. Mara wasn’t sure how she felt about all this attention and physical contact. They had only said a few words to each other, but he was acting like they were already a couple. For someone who’s longest relationship was two weeks, all this… _togetherness_  was making her a little claustrophobic.  _But then why didn’t she move away from him?_

 

“Sunflower?” Mara was jerked from her thoughts by his worried tone. “Hmm? Oh, sorry, I was just lost in thought for a while. Did you say something?” He shook his head. “What is troubling you, Красавица?” (beauty) Mara smiled sweetly up at him and shook her head. “Nothing Ivan, I’m fine.” He was almost fooled by her smile, but she couldn’t seem to look him in the eyes. His hand gripped hers tighter. “Do not lie to me подсолнух.” She felt fear creeping into her heart, but then she finally looked into his eyes. She only saw concern, not anger.  _If he anything like me, then he probably has problems expressing his emotions like normal people. Anger is probably his safety, like feigning happiness is mine._

“I’m sorry I lied, but it takes me a while to warm up to people and open up to them. Until I do, it’s hard for me to talk about what’s on my mind.” “Ah! So we just need to get to know each other better, then you will tell me everything, yes?” Mara couldn’t help the smile as she nodded. “Yes, I promise.”

That seemed to cheer him up. He grinned and pulled her even closer to him if that was possible.  _If he pulls me any closer, I’ll be on his lap!_  Mara blushed.

Why was she reacting like this? By all rights, she should be freaking out! She had only been this close to a person once before, her one and only ex (at least the only one out of the two she actually had feelings for) but he had never been this affectionate. He had only wanted to sleep with her and was only as nice and charming as he had to for her to let him. As much as she hated to admit it, it hadn’t taken much. The fact he had even wanted to spend time with her at all was enough for her to fall for him.

She couldn’t help but wonder if Ivan would be the same way. Why else would he be acting like this?

She looked up at him, he looked down at her when he felt her move. She studied his face carefully.

He was still smiling at her. His pale blond hair fell into violet eyes that seemed to be as unsure of her as she was of him.

_Soulmate._

That’s right, that was the difference. Ivan was her soulmate, her fated true love. If fate itself decided they should be together, then she should learn to trust him.

“Sunflower?”

Mara reached up and brushed the hair away from his eyes. His skin was softer than she thought it would be. Her hand went to the side of his face, gently caressing his cheek. Ivan almost pulled away in surprise.

_She was touching him!_ She was  _touching_  him, and he didn’t have to ask. He stared at her. She didn’t look scared of him either! She  _wanted_ to touch him. His eyes drifted closed and he tried to commit the feeling of her hand on his skin to memory. Who knew when this would happen again?

Her touch was warm, warmer than anything he was used to. And although her hand was gentle on his skin, he could feel the callouses on her hand. He covered her hand with his and frowned when he felt the rough skin covering her knuckles. He knew she had been found on the streets, but just how long had she been there before she was found? He hadn’t cared enough to consider it before, but now that he knew she was his, the thought of her out there all alone, having to fight people off…

“Ivan? Ivan, what’s wrong?” He heard the slight undertone of fear in her voice and shook himself from his thoughts. He realized he was still holding her hand, and gripping it a little too hard. He let go immediately and backed away from her. “I am sorry, sunflower! Мне очень жаль, я не хотел причинить тебе боль, я клянусь!” (I am so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear!)

“Woah, whoa! Ivan!” He stopped speaking but continued to stare at her.

She was shocked to see that he was panicking. “Ivan, what’s wrong?”  He started to speak in a flurry of Russian and Mara hand to calm him down again. “Ivan, slow down. Just calm down, ok?” He nodded. “Good, now tell me, in English, what happened.”  “I hurt you.” “What? No, you didn’t.” He nodded and gingerly picked up her hands. “Oh, that?” Mara smiled and shook her head. “You didn’t hurt me, Ivan. Surprised me, sure. But not hurt me.” “But you were afraid of me.”  _Ahh… I see._

“Ivan, I won’t lie to you. You looked a little... _intense_  back there and I was a little freaked out. But the truth is that I’m not used to being around people, at least not long enough to get to know them. People in general freak me out. But you?” She took her hands from his and placed them on the sides of his face.

“You don’t scare me.”  He looked scared and hopeful as if what she was saying was too good to be true. “But I am Russia.” She nodded. “I know. I know enough about history to know why you are used to people being afraid and what I don’t know I got from how Alfred reacted when he found out we were soulmates and at first, yes, I was a little scared. But no country’s history is spotless, especially the ones that have been around for a while.” She gave a small chuckle. “No one is perfect” Ivan stared down at her, seemingly enthralled by her. “You are.” Mara had to laugh. “No, I am  _far_  from perfect. But it makes me happy that you think that way.”  Her smile dimmed a little. “My Grandma used to say, ‘There’s no such thing as the perfect person, just the person whose faults are outweighed by their good.’”

 

Ivan contemplated her words the rest of the ride to the airport. Could his ‘good’ really outweigh the bad? He had never given much thought before, but he could suppose that some of the things he does would be considered a little ‘bad’, and some of the things he  _used_  to do would be considered ‘really bad’. But that didn’t make him a bad person, did it?  _No, everything I have done had been ordered or sanctioned by my bosses. That makes it ok!_

 

_Doesn’t it?_

 

Mara sat in her seat on the plane, studying Ivan closely. She was worried, his normal smile was gone, and he stared out of the window, his brows furrowed in concentration. She could tell he was upset, but for the life of her, she had no idea what to do. The only person she had comforted had been her sister, but with her, it had been instinctual. All she had to do was sit Michelle down and wrap her arms around her and hold her until everything was ok.

Would the same thing work for Ivan? She frowned when he sighed. She had to try something. She had known him for all of an hour, but seeing him without that smile she had already grown accustomed to upset her.  _Plus, he seemed to be ok with giving affection, so he should be ok with it, right?_

She gathered up her courage and buried her anxiety, stood from her seat, and cautiously sat down next to him. When he didn’t react, Mara took a breath to steady herself.  _Why am I so nervous about this? Oh, maybe because he looks halfway between wanting to cry and wanting to punch a hole in the plane._

Mara had to chide herself for that thought. She knew she had to learn to trust him and let her guard down, but the problem was, she was still stuck in survival mode and had no idea how to stop.

However, this time it seemed her worry for Ivan overshadowed her need to distance herself from everyone and stay in her own bubble.

She placed a surprisingly steady hand on his shoulder and smiled gently when he turned to her. “Любимая?” (sweetheart)

“I know something is wrong, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but something  _is_ upsetting you. I’ve done a pretty good job emotionally staying away from people so I’m not sure what to do to help you feel better, but…” She wraps her arms around him and rests her head on his chest. “I hope this helps.” 

Ivan was frozen in place. Was…was she…was she  _hugging_  him?! When was the last time someone hugged him? Natalia did, but she was his sister. Ukraine did, but they weren’t the same as the ones she gave him as a child and not nearly as often. It had been decades since anyone -especially a woman- had hugged him.

 

 

It was warm.  _She_ was warm. How can someone so small hold so much warmth?  _God,_ had he ever felt so warm?

 

“It’s ok, you can hug me back if you want.”

 

_Could he?_  She would  _let_ him?

 

He wrapped an arm around her before she could change her mind. Oh wow, now she even closer to him! They were both still for a minute, afraid that any movement would shatter the serene moment.

Then Mara finally relaxed and hugged him tighter, her head burrowing into the folds of his jacket. The scent of wood smoke and some kind of food reached her, and she smiled. He smelled good. Being in his arms  _felt_  good. The warm, giddy feeling she got when he rested his head on top of her head was downright addicting.

“Вы прекрасны.”  Mara looked up at him, brows furrowed slightly in confusion. His responding chuckle was a rumble so deep she could  _feel_ it vibrate through his chest.

“You are perfect, little sunflower.”

Mara smiled and looked down. No one had ever looked at her with such… _reverence_ , nor sounded so sincere. She had never been called  _perfect_.

“Far from it.”

Ivan tilted her head back up and spoke with such finality that it left no room for argument.

“You are to me.”

 

She wasn’t sure how it all started, but soon they were talking. Ivan was doing most of the talking, but Mara didn’t mind too much. He told her of his sisters and from his tone, he cared for them deeply. Mara felt bittersweet recognition at the look in his eyes as he told her of the days when the three of them lived together. Not all his memories from that time were positive, but at least he had his sisters.

It was love, the same love she held for her sister, she still held. No matter how much time passes, the love one has for their sibling never really goes away. Especially since they were twins, Mara felt a part of herself die when Michelle did. She felt incomplete, and she feared she would feel that way forever, that no matter how hard she tried, she would never fill the hole the death of her sister left behind.

She had to force those bitter memories and feelings down. She could reminisce all she wanted when she got to the house, now was the time to get to know her soulmate.

When he asked, Mara told him a little about herself and her childhood. She kept it as vague as she could. She told him she loved to read and that she wasn’t very sociable, so she never really had any friends. She said she and her parents weren’t close and that she no longer had any extended family. She described how much she worked and that it kept her from going out and dating as a teenager and young adult.

The version of her life she told him sounded nice. She felt ridiculous, but she was jealous of that version of herself and her life. It sounded nice, normal. Maybe if she had a normal upbringing, parents who weren’t alcoholics or gambling addicts, she would have had that life. Maybe she would have just been shy and quiet instead of jaded and fearful.

But it was too late for that, she couldn’t go back in time and fix anything or choose different parents. Even if she could, she wasn’t sure if she would. Having different parents might mean she would have never had Michelle as her sister. All of the things she went through couldn’t compare to the sixteen years she got to spend with her sister.

 

Mara ended up falling asleep first. They had spent most of the flight switching between talking and getting caught up in their own memories. Eventually, the nerves she had felt all day, the rush of finally meeting her soulmate and dealing with the unanticipated repressed emotions rising to the surface, and she fell asleep. Her head fell to rest against his arm. Ivan, who had taken to staring out of the window in the silence, tried not to jerk away from her. He wasn’t used to people wanting to touch him for any other reason than to cause him pain. Though the worst of his history was in the past, he had several lifetimes of pain and torture. Enough to make the slightest touch from this small, shy woman scare him.

Pain, he could handle. The lying, scheming and double timing of espionage was little more than a game to him.

But kindness? A gentle touch? A shy smile and comforting words?

They were foreign to him. He had yearned for them in his youth but had all but given up hope as time went on.

He stared in wonder and the woman sleeping peacefully on his arm. Normally he took such actions as a complete disregard for him, as if they were taunting him. When people showed any kind of weakness to him, he took it as either a challenge or insult to his strength.

_I know enough about history to know why you are used to people being afraid._

_No one is perfect_

She  _knew._  She knew what he was capable of, but she wasn’t afraid. She knew America didn’t trust him, but she was willing to try. Everyone else stopped giving him second chances, but here she was, giving him another.

He gently pulled her into his lap, a warm feeling spreading across his chest as she shifted and settled into his arms, her head burrowing into his jacket.

It was then he knew. He would never allow any harm to come to her, from himself or anyone else. He would do anything, everything, to keep her right here, to keep her happy. He…He…

He didn’t know what he was feeling, but it was new and wonderful.

He saw her smile in her sleep.

Wonderful, just like her.

 

 

Mara was floating in that space between awake and asleep. She had a nagging feeling that something important had happened, but she didn’t care enough at the moment to remember what it was. All she knew was that she was warm and something smelled really good. She moved her face closer to the smell and sighed. She was completely content to just lay here for the rest of eternity. So comfy…

Until she felt a rumbling from her smell-good pillow. Mara blinked open her eyes and waited for them to adjust to the bright lights in the room. Ivan’s face came into focus and she saw that he was smiling down at her. It wasn’t one of his usual smiles that were almost always plastered on his face, this one was small. Only the corners of his mouth were upturned in a gentle, soft smile that made her smile in return.  

She was still only half awake, not awake enough to feel embarrassed about waking up in the arms of a man she has known for less than a full day.

“Hey.” She murmured sleepily. Ivan’s large hand cradled the side of her face.

“Hey, Долгожданная.” (My long-awaited. This is a real term of endearment according to my research, which makes it just about the sweetest thing I have ever heard.)

Mara took a moment to study him. He seemed…different somehow. Less nervous and more relaxed. His smile didn’t seem as forced as it did yesterday. He had been nice, but it seemed like he was holding something back. The tension was gone from his face and the way he looked at her made her breath catch in her throat.

“Ivan?” He hummed in response. “Are you ok? You seem…different. Good different!” She rushed to add when he started to draw away. “Not that I didn’t enjoy yesterday, or that there was anything wrong with you! You just seem kind of happier.”  His face relaxed back into a smile. “Yes, I guess that would be the case. I took some time to think while you were sleeping.”

Mara sat up but stayed in her place in his lap, much to Ivan’s satisfaction.

“About what?”

“About you.” Mara’s face instantly flushed red.

“Oh, really? W-What um, what about me?”

He paused, some of the tension from yesterday returned to his face.

“I am not good at making friends. I don’t know why, but people don’t like me. I think it is because I scare them, that’s why I like to smile so much. But it doesn’t seem to do much good.”

Mara felt for him a little. While she didn’t really scare people, she knew what it was like to not have any friends. Although it was a choice in her case, it didn’t keep her from feeling lonely. It must be harder when you were actually  _looking_  for friends.

“But you Sunflower, you are different. You are not afraid of me, and you have spent more time with me than anyone else has been willing to.”

Mara stared at him in shock. Was he  _blushing?_  The same man who had had her tucked into his side from the moment they met and cradled her in his arms last night was  _blushing?_

“You are my chance to be happy and have a real friend.”

“You- you want to be…friends?”

He nodded apprehensively. “да, I have never had a real friend. China is nice to me, but he still runs away sometimes.”

Mara was absolutely melting. For her, him wanting to be friends was meant more to her than the most romantic declarations of love.

“I would  _love_  to be your friend, Ivan.” Her hand went up to his face and cradled his cheek. “You realize though since we are soulmates, we will probably end up falling in love eventually?”

He nodded and covered her hand with his, leaning into her palm. “I know, but I like the idea of us being friends first. But…” He lightly squeezed her hand. “Could we still be like this? I don’t think normal friends do it, but…” He trailed off again.

It was Mara’s turn to blush. “I’d like that.”

The plane touched down, literally jerking them out of the moment. Once the plane stopped moving, they both stood. Ivan held out his hand for her. “Come Sunflower.”

With a smile and a blush, Mara took his hand again.

 

The drive to Mara’s Grandparent’s house was spent mostly in silence, with small pockets of awkward conversation. Even though they had just agreed to start off as friends and take things slow, the fact was that neither of them had much experience with ‘friends’. Sure, everyone knows that you are supposed to be able to just be yourself and be comfortable around friends, but Mara couldn’t help but wonder how to do that. How do people go from complete strangers to calling each other besties and hanging out all the time?

“Mara.” She was pulled again from her thoughts by Ivan’s worried tone.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry.” She looked up at him sheepishly. “I was doing it again, huh?”

“What is the matter sunflower?” Mara tried to brush it off as mere daydreaming, but her following sigh betrayed her.

“Sunflower.” It was both a demand and a plea to talk to him. Mara felt a twinge of guilt. He was willing to try, to start off as friends, to give them a chance, but Mara had yet to return the favor. She was keeping him at a distance, putting space between them every time he tried to get through her walls.

_This needs stop._

 

“Ok, so I’m not  _exactly_  alright.” Ivan perked up at the confession. He had thought she was going to lie to him again and say she was fine, but it looks like he was wrong.  _Maybe Katusha was right about being patient._

He had called his older sister before he left for America. She had been overjoyed with his good news and had given him a plethora of relationship advice. One that she kept repeating was that he needs to have  _patience._ To let his soulmate warm up to him, that it takes some people a while to fall in love, he shouldn’t rush things. It had confused him at first, whenever he found someone he wanted to be friends with, he had brought them to his home and made them stay, that way they would have to spend time with him. If he didn’t, they would run away and not become friends with him. But then he realized that even with that, he still ended up alone. All his friends had left him. So, he decided that maybe trying his sister’s method wasn’t such a bad idea. It looks like she was right after all.

 

“I just…” Mara sighed. This whole ‘talking about your feelings’ thing was harder than it sounded.

“I have no idea what I’m doing.” She finally admitted with an inward wince. Admitting her faults wasn’t something she usually did. It was less out of pride and more out of a need to be able to take care of herself. If she admitted she needed help with something, that would mean she would need to depend on someone else to help her. And until now, that wasn’t an option.

“I have only dated two people in my life, and that could barely be described as ‘dating’. I’ve even had fewer friends, so I feel completely out of my element here. All I can think of is how badly I am probably going to mess this all up.”

“Why did you not have any friends?”  _She should have had many friends._  He thought she was wonderful, so he had assumed others would think the same.

“Well, it was more of a choice for me. When I was little, I was more open to it, but little kids don’t usually flock around the quiet kid. As I got older, I just started keeping people away. I had developed some trust issues, so I figured if I kept people away, they couldn’t hurt me.”

Ivan felt an unfamiliar protective feeling well up inside him. “You have been hurt?” He tried to keep the anger from his tone, but Mara could hear it. It was confusing.  _Why is he upset? Is he angry? Why would he be angry?_

“Not physically or anything. Well, not until New York.” She added the last part casually, then realized he might not know what happened. Hell, the others didn’t really know all of it. She had told them that the bastards were mad that she had turned them down, which was true. But she had left off the part that they had suggested that they were going to do it anyway.

“Um, how much do you know about the night Al and the others found me.”

“I know a little, and we will talk more about that later. Now you will tell me about before.”

She felt her own anger rise at his demand. She would tell her story when  _she_ wanted, not earlier.

_Deep breaths,_ she reminded herself.  _He is probably just worried._  But that still doesn’t give him the right to  _demand._

“Like I said, I wasn’t hurt physically.”

“That is not what I asked, sunflower.”

“Ivan!” Mara took a deep breath to calm herself.

“I understand you are just worried, I do. But this my story, and I will not tell it until I am ready, ok? So do me a favor and wait until then.”

There were several minutes of tense silence in the car. Mara was trying to regain her composure and Ivan was in a state of shock.

No one had talked to him like that before, at least not since he became powerful enough to defeat his enemies. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that she was  _angry_ at him.  _Why?_

He just wanted,  _needed_ , to know what was so bad in her past that she didn’t trust the people around her. As her soulmate, he felt that he had a right to know.

He was too shocked to get angry her for daring to keep things from him. If it had been just a few decades ago…

Ivan felt a cold rush of fear go through him. No, no it is better for everyone that he didn’t meet her back then. All those deaths put such a toll on his mind that he had snapped, his connection to his people twisted by his sense of duty to his government. Once he had come out of his crazed state, he had been sane enough to have scared himself, but he had never fully recovered. Could he be in the wrong this time? Should he have not pushed her to open up to him?

Ivan let out a frustrated sigh. He would never be able to answer these questions himself.

He glanced over at Mara. She was staring resolutely out of the window, purposely keeping herself from looking at him. In a soft voice he had never remembered using before he told her, “I must make a phone call.” Mara nodded, her head still turned away from him.

He reached over to the phone system in the car and dialed the one person he trusted to be blunt with him, whether he wanted the truth or not.

 (A/N:  _Italics_ in this conversation mean speaking in another language. Only for this conversation)

 

_“Russia sir! I’m surprised to hear from you! I thought you were taking some time off with your soulmate?”_

_“I am, but I have a question, however, I need to tell you that if word of this gets out, certain people won’t be happy and might get mad at me, which means that I will have to get angry at you, ok?”_

_“Ok, But I’m not sure what you can do while your halfway around the world.”_

Ivan had to grind his teeth to keep himself from lashing out.

_“I will not be here forever, Little Ravis.”_

There was a brief pause.  _“O-of course sir. What was your question?”_

_“If you knew someone had been hurt in some way, and they were reluctant to talk about it, wouldn’t it be best if you convinced them to tell you anyway? Especially if they were important to you?”_

Ravis let out a small chortle.  _“Trouble in paradise already Mr. Russia?”_ There was a muffled smacking sound and a shout of pain followed by a  _‘what did I do?’_

_“Ravis? Are there people who can hear us?”_  Ivan asked in a deceptively calm tone.  _“They can only hear me, not you Mr. Russia.”_

_“Make them leave the room.” “Y-yes sir.”_

There were a few moments of shuffling before Ravis returned to the phone.

“ _All gone sir. Back to your question, You might be worried, but she doesn’t need to tell you. If you really cared about her, you would let her tell you when she is ready. Think about it this way, do you go around telling everyone about the messed up stuff that happened to you?”_

_“Just how much do you know?”_

_“Nothing really. But we are all counties and we all have painful pasts, but none of us really talk about it, do we? We are all old enough to know that it would probably be healthier to start talking, but we don’t. So why would you expect her to?”_

_“But why wouldn’t she want to tell me? I am her soulmate.” “You are, but you are also kind of a stranger, aren’t you? I mean, you’ve known each other for like what, a day? She probably just needs time to get to know you. Although why she would want to in the first place is a mystery to me.”_

_“You’ve been drinking, haven’t you?”_

_“Mr. Russia, how could you tell!”_

_“While you have a bad habit of mouthing off, even you are not usually so stupid. You are lucky being with my sunflower has put me in such a good mood, otherwise you would be in for a lot of pain when I got home.”_

There was some chuckling before a now slightly slurred voice answered, “ _Lucky for me!”_

Ivan shook his head and ended the call.

 

_This is my story, and I will not tell it until I am ready._

Maybe his tone was a tad…rough. But he really wanted to take care of her and he couldn’t do that if she didn’t trust him. But perhaps Ravis and his sister were right, he just needed to give her some time.

Was this how others dealt with people? This whole, waiting for them to trust, thing? It was hard and he almost just wanted to do what he used to and take her straight to his home and force her to spend time with him. But he knew that wouldn’t work, and not just because there would be a very pissed off America and a hoard of his friends and others he had pissed off over the years at his door screaming for his blood. It was because he knew she wouldn’t be happy, and thus neither would he.

He glanced over at Mara. It looked like she had calmed down a bit, but she still gazed out of her window. Ivan gripped the steering wheel until it started creaking under the pressure. He had expected his soulmate to be a quiet, sweet girl who listened and obeyed his every wish and was happy to just be near him. She would offer her trust and love freely and without complaint no matter what.

But this woman…

She was kind, sure, and a little quiet. But her anger and made him notice a fire in her eyes that he didn’t expect. He was starting to realize she was fearless. She spent months fending for herself, only to be bombarded with the realization of magic, immortality and living countries, then she agreed to be with him before she even met him. People who had known him for over a century didn’t even want to be with him. Then, not only wasn’t she afraid of him, she had the nerve to get  _angry_ with him and actually shout at him.

How could the woman who had slept peacefully in his arms be the same one who had basically told him to fuck off?

Getting this woman to trust him and care for him was going to take some effort. For the first time in centuries, Ivan felt like he was over his head.

 

“Turn here, we’ll need food for the house.” Ivan almost jumped when he heard her speak.

“O-of course.” Had he just  _stuttered_? If she heard his slip up, she didn’t react to it. He reached out and lightly grabbed her shoulder as she moved to get out of the car. “Sunflower?” She paused but didn’t turn. He sighed. “Mara?” His pleading tone forced her to turn to him. “What is it, Ivan?” “I realize that I may have been a bit too demanding before. I have never had to care what others thought of me or their feelings towards me. If I needed something, I took it or they gave it to me out of fear of what I would do to them, but you are different. I  _want_  you to like me, I  _want_  you to trust me and I feel like I need to take care of you, but I have never had to ear someone’s trust and affections before. I guess what I am trying to say is…” He sighed and hesitated. “I’m…sorry.” Mara couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out. “Wow, you really had trouble with that, didn’t you?” Ivan frowned and looked away from her. “I am not used too apologizing, so I am out of practice.” Mara finally stopped the giggling and smiled. “I appreciate it. I know I also may have overreacted a bit. I guess the learning curve is going to be pretty steep for us, huh?” Ivan chuckled. “It looks like it.”

“Look, I’m…” Mara laughed nervously. “I’m horrible at talking about how I feel about shit, and I know we’ve just met, but…I…” More nervous laughter. “I like this, what we already have going on. I’m not used to being able to express myself like this, so I know there will some bumps in the road when it comes to that stuff, but I really hope we can always work through it. Although your delivery wasn’t the best, you kind of had a point earlier, I do need to talk about that stuff and as my soulmate, you should be the one I talk to because you will be the person affected the most other than me. It wasn’t anything horrible, not most of it at least, but growing up the way I did left me with some issues, and I have a feeling it will take some time to work through them. All I ask is that you give me a little time.” Mara paused to think.

“When we get to the house, I’ll tell you some of it. It will probably make itself clear as soon as we walk inside, so It’s best I explain it then. Ok?” “Ok sunflower, I will learn to wait.”

 

They made quick work of the groceries, although Ivan was upset they didn’t have everything he would have been able to get back home.

It wasn’t long before they pulled up the old wooden gate that was more than a little warped with faded and peeling black paint. Mara hopped out of the car and grunted as she tried to open it. The hinges were rusted and made painful screeching noises as she muscled open the gate.

 

The House was set back a little ways on the property, but once it came into view, Mara couldn’t help but smile as all the old memories came rushing back. Her Grandma drinking coffee on the front porch while watching the sun rise and listing to the birds wake up. Her Grandpa walking up to the mailbox for the Sunday paper, stopping every few feet to pick up a cool looking rock. Her and Michele taking naps on the bench swing tied to a limb on the old Oak tree while the occasional dog or cat played nearby.

 

“Mara?” Ivan sounded almost panicked. “Hmm? Oh, looks like I spaced out again. Let’s get the food in.” He grabbed her arm to stop her. “Sunflower, why are you crying?” “What?” She touched her cheek and was surprised to feel it soaked with tears. “Wow, would you look at that?” Mara laughed humorlessly before clearing her throat. “Um, yeah.” She wiped her face and tried to look like she had her shit together when she was one happy memory from falling apart. “I’m good. Let’s get that food put away.” She got out of the car and was getting the food from the trunk before Ivan could try and get a genuine answer from her. But he was starting to see that he could try all he wanted, she wouldn’t talk to him until she was ready and as frustrating as it was, Ivan knew he just had to wait.

 

The inside of the house was inviting and cozy. There was a brick fireplace flanked by decorative plants and family pictures, two plush recliners and two sofas, a large dining table with small intricate designs carved into the legs, and antique writer’s desk and a large kitchen complete with a breakfast bar and stools.

 

“Why don’t you take a look around while I put the food away?” Ivan agreed with a nod and wandered around the house, finding a few spare bedrooms and the bathroom before making his way back to the living room to look at the paintings and photos framed on the walls. The paintings were nice, but he Ivan found himself drawn to the pictures on the opposite wall. They all featured a couple, ranging from young to old. He gathered they were her grandparents. Her grandfather was a rather burly man with dark hair and eyes and several laugh lines in the older pictures. Her grandmother was a little taller than her husband, with fair skin and hair and piercing eyes that would have been intimidating if not for the fact that she was laughing in every picture, her arms wrapped around her husband and her head resting on his shoulder. Ivan couldn’t help but smile at the obvious love they shared. The next several pictures featured two babies being held by their beaming grandparents. As they got older, it became clear the girls were identical. Ivan walked down the wall of pictures, feeling as if he was watching them grow up. Two toddlers perched on their grandpa’s lap as he drove a tractor, two young girls playing in a creek, them being caught sneaking food to a begging puppy, the girls a little older as they started driving the tractor themselves, and finally two teenagers sitting on a swing. Ivan stopped at this one, not just because it was the last picture, but because he was finally able to recognize that both girls looked like his Mara.  One was grinning, her eyes shut, and hands thrown up in the air as she apparently tried to kick them higher in the air. The other had a closed smile, her head tilted back as she enjoyed the ride.

That one. That one was his Mara.

But that would mean…

 

Mara tried to take her time putting the food away, both to give Ivan time to look around and to delay the following conversation. She didn’t really like thinking about what happened to her sister, let alone  _talking_  about it. But soon she had put the last box of cereal in the cupboard and had nothing else to keep her from talking to Ivan. She walked around the corner to the living room and leaned against the wall, watching Ivan as he stared at the last picture, waiting for him to put the pieces together himself. But as he continued to stare, she sighed and walked over to him.

“That was taken a few months before our sixteenth birthday.”

“So that is your sister?” He asked without turning around. She stood beside him and stared at the photo, already feeling tears wanting to spill over. She cleared her throat and spoke in as clear of a voice as she could.

“Yeah, my twin actually. Michelle.”

He pointed to one of them. “That one is you?” Mara smiled, a little pleased that he could pick her out of a picture despite them being identical.  “Yeah. Michelle was always trying to get the swing to go around, but she never could. Mainly because I would yell at her whenever she got too high.” Mara laughed a little. “She was always so reckless, it would drive me crazy. I think that’s kind of why she did it.”

“Where is she?” Ivan was almost afraid to ask. She kept saying ‘was’.

Mara was silent for a while. She hadn’t talked about it in so long if she ever did.

“She…” Mara felt herself get choked up.  _Come on it’s been almost ten years, you can do this._

“She died. Just after our 16th birthday.” Ivan finally turned to her. “Sunflower…” Mara gave a watery smile. “It’s fine, I’ll be ok. I just don’t like talking about it.”  She took a shaky breath. “I promised I’d tell you some stuff right?”

“She was walking home from a party late at night. She had to go back to get something and told her friends to go one without her. On her way back, this guy cornered her and pulled out a gun. She reached into her purse to pull out her wallet, but he shot her before she could. She bled out before anyone came to help.”

Ivan didn’t know what to say, comfort hand never been his forte. Intimidation, sure, but comfort…

How could he give others what he never received himself?

 

He watched her try and calm herself down and felt his gut wrench at her trying to stifle her sniffles.

With a hesitant hand, he reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek. “What do I do?” He asked her desperately. Mara looked up at him, just as confused as he was. “I-I don’t know.” She leaned into his touch. “Hold me?” He immediately pulled her close, his arms wrapping around her and his chin resting on top of her head. She burrowed her head into his jacket, the now familiar smell comforting her.

 

They really were a mess, neither knowing what they wanted out of their new ‘relationship’, but both wanting  _something_  desperately.

They stood there for a while, each of them holding the other and unwilling to let go. “I’m sorry.” “For what?” “I don’t usually do this. I normally can keep it together better than this.”  “No.” He pulled away slightly to stare down at her.

“I do not like to see you crying, but it makes me happy that you did. It means you trust me just a little more, yes?” Mara chuckled a little and smiled. “Yeah, I guess it does.”  She leaned her head against his chest again.

“There’s more, you know. Nothing as bad as losing my sister, but there’s more.”

“I know Sunflower.” 

“I don’t think I’m ready to talk about it yet. Soon, but not yet.”

“I know Sunflower.”

 

“Why do you call me that?”

“What, Sunflower?” Ivan smiled, a wistful one she didn’t know he could make.

“I love sunflowers. My home is very cold. General Winter has protected me from many enemies, but he has also made it so few flowers grow. Sunflowers remind me of warm places. You are also warm.”

 

Mara smiled. “That’s sweet. Now I feel like I have to come up with a little nickname for you.” Ivan chuckled. “You can call me whatever you want, sunflower.”

 

They stood there for a while longer until Mara yawned. “Sorry.” She said while yawning again. “All that crying really took it out of me I guess.” Ivan lifted her and hooked his arm under her legs and began carrying her to the largest spare room. “What are you doing?”   
“You are tired, so I am taking you to bed. You need your rest. Yao said you are still recovering.

“You talked to Yao?” He nodded and set her down on the bed and made his way to the other side, taking off his jacket as he went. “Yes, right before I left to come get you. Alfred told me you were hurt so I figured Yao was the one who helped you. I wanted to make sure you would be ok.”

He laid down next to her, lifting her head and placing his arm underneath, pulling her close to him so she was tucked into his side.

Mara giggled. As strange as being this close to someone was, she had to admit, this was nice. She snuggled closer to him and felt the rumbling in his chest as he chuckled. She felt a soft kiss on the top of her head.

“Sleep Sunflower.” 


	40. Japan's Route Chapter 2

They sat across from each other on the plane, a table and a long awkward silence between them. It was clear that neither of them were comfortable with this situation. As it was wont to do whenever there was a quiet moment, Mara’s mind wandered. The subject this time being the man across from her. He seemed nice enough, if a little distant, but she had already known that about him. He  _was_  nice enough to compromise on his ways a little, which she appreciated. She knew that if she was going to spend the rest of her life with him in Japan, she would have to lean them and adopt them as her own. She wasn’t willing to change everything though. While she wasn’t experienced with relationships, she did know that healthy ones were based on compromise.

 

Wasn’t Japanese supposed to be hard to learn? She would have to though. She would have to do a lot, she realized, just by being with him. She would be living in a new country on the other side of the world, she would have to learn a new language, learn a new set of customs and traditions that weren’t her own. Would she even be able to get a job? Would she have to go through the process of being a citizen? She would need  _some_  kind of paperwork to live there. She would need some form of ID to get a job. What if she couldn’t? Was there a box saying ‘newly immortal soulmate to Japan’ to check? If she couldn’t, that would mean she wouldn’t be able to do anything but be a homemaker. She would have to depend on Kiku for everything, nothing would ever really be  _hers_. She tried to picture it, Kiku going off to work every day, her waving him off and spending her day cleaning and getting dinner ready and greeting him when he came home, then cleaning up again after dinner, with him helping sometimes. She would be…  _domesticated_.

 

Kiku was trying his hardest not to stare at her, it was awkward enough. He knew he should try and get to know her, considering they were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together. The fact was though, he hadn’t been romantically interested in anyone in a  _very_ long time and was getting nervous just being this close to her. Even though they just met and he didn’t have any romantic feelings for her, the fact that one day he  _would_ , that one day they would fall in love and everything that entailed, he knew that if he tried to talk to her now he would be a jittery stuttering mess and would no doubt embarrass himself.

He dared to sneak a glance at her. She was staring out the window, nibbling her bottom lip. She looked kind of… cute, he realized with a light blush.  

He shook his head to try and get rid of that stray thought. She seemed so lost in her own thoughts that he realized she didn’t notice him looking at her, so he studied her a little more.

She seemed nervous, no not nervous. He frowned. She was scared. He wracked his memory to see if he had done anything that might have scared her but came up with nothing. It had to be something else. He wondered if he should just ask her. He normally wouldn’t be so direct with a practical stranger, but well, none of this was normal was it?

“Excuse me, Mara-san?” She jumped a little before turning to him. “I apologize if this is to direct, but I couldn’t help but notice something was upsetting you.” Mara flashed a humorless smile and looked down at her lap. “I seemed to have upset you more, I am sorry.” She shook her head and looked up at him. “You’re fine, Kiku. Your right about me being a little upset though.” She seemed to realize something and laughed to herself. “You know, I don’t think I’ve admitted that so easily before.” “Why is that?” Mara studied him for a moment before abruptly changing the subject. “How do  _you_ feel about all of this?” “What do you mean?”

Mara gestured between them. “This, everything that’s happening. I’ve been so caught up these last few weeks on what I’ll have to go through and stuff, but I just realized that this affects you too. Silly, I know. It should have been obvious, but you get just as little say in this as I do.” Kiku thought about it for a while. It was true, he did feel like he had no say in the matter, but he wasn’t in the habit of opening up about his thoughts and feelings to someone he didn’t know. He was about to politely brush the question off, but something stopped him.

_Soulmate_

They were soulmates. Yes, she was a stranger, but they were connected on a level neither of them really understood.

She was just as nervous and uncomfortable with this as he was, yet she was willing to talk to him about it. Maybe…maybe he should talk to her too.

 

“It is all a little strange. I wasn’t sure whether to believe Arthur-san when he first told us that we had soulmates. I have found him to be a little strange on occasion. It wasn’t until they found you that I started to believe it. It was an even bigger surprise when Alfred-san called and told me the… that we…” Mara smiled as he trailed off. Finally, an emotion other than polite calm. “That we’re soulmates.” She finished for him. He offered her a small infectious smile that had her smiling in return. “I’ll admit that I’m out of my element with this.” “Not a lady’s man, huh?” She joked. He quickly shook his head and Mara tried not to react to his small blush.  _It’s nice to see him open up a little._  “Not at all!” She had to laugh. “Don’t worry, neither am I. Well, with guys I mean. I don’t even have friends, really. I just never know what to say, you know?” “Exactly! I also find it hard to start conversations.”  They smiled at each other and stared a little longer than what was normal. As she started to feel the awkward silence return, Mara tried to find something,  _anything_ , to talk about.

 

“Ok, let’s start again.” He looked at her quizzically as she stuck her hand out in front of her. “Hello, my name is Mara and I have trust issues. I’m also socially awkward and I usually can’t tell the difference between sarcasm and someone being serious. I have next to no fashion sense, I keep my nails too short for manicures and when  _do_ paint my nails, it looks like a two-year-old hopped up on sugar did it.”

 Kiku didn’t know whether to laugh or be surprised at her outburst.

Mara shook the hand that was still stretched towards him. “Your turn.” He hesitantly put his hand in hers. “I am Honda, I mean, Kiku.” He was just going to leave it at that, but she raised an eyebrow as a silent prompt for him to start speaking.

“Uh, I like reading. I read normal books, but I do frequently enjoy reading manga. I like to spend time at home and tend to my garden.”

They shook hands and he quickly took his away and back to his lap. Mara tried not to be upset that he let go of her hand so fast. Alfred had already warned her about Kiku’s thing with personal space.

“Yours was a lot less embarrassing than mine.” He shook his head. “Yours was fine. I wasn’t comfortable saying mine either.” Whatever confidence Mara had seemed to deflate. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable. It’s just that we hadn’t really said anything to each other and I figured we should try and get to know each other cause, well you know.” Mara knew she was starting to ramble, but she was nervous and couldn’t stop herself. “You said that you find it hard to talk to people, and you’re already taking some stranger to live with you, so I figured that the least I could do was to try and take some of the pressure off and I thought doing the introductions like that would help.”

Kiku stared at her in silence. Mara glanced up and saw confusion written all over his face.

“Oh. You meant that in an ‘I was embarrassed too, so don’t feel bad’ way, not ‘you made me uncomfortable’ way, didn’t you?” He nodded. Mara’s forehead hit the table with a soft thump. “Sorry.”

There was another long stretch of silence between them.  _Great, way to mess things up. Two hours in and you already manage to make yourself look like a crazy person._

She felt a warm hand on her arm. She looked up and was surprised to see Kiku had moved next to her and had placed his hand on her arm in an obvious attempt to comfort her. “The introductions did help.” He said with a light blush. Being this close to her was something he didn’t think he would be comfortable for a while, but when he saw her so upset just because she thought she made him a little uncomfortable…

It was endearing and the desire to console her was overwhelming. He didn’t know if it was a kind of Soulmate bond or something else, but although being this close to anyone would make his nervous, being around her, while embarrassing, felt…right.

“You ok?” Kiku nodded but Mara didn’t believe him. “You didn’t look it.” Kiku tried to think of a way to brush it off but just sighed. He can’t approach this like he normally would. None of this was normal, they were the first soulmates to have found each other, and no one really knew what to expect.

“I feel…” Another sigh. “I am not sure what I’m feeling. This is all new and strange and I am at a loss at how to deal with all of this.”

Mara thought it over for a while. He was just as confused as she was. “None of this is really fair, is it?” He looked at her, but her head was down and she was staring at the table. She felt reluctant, and something inside her was hurting, but she knew she had to give him the chance,  _them_  the chance, they needed. “You… you don’t have to go through with this.” “What?” Mara finally looked up at him. She had really wanted to try it, but it didn’t seem like Kiku was happy with their arrangement. She really couldn’t blame him, no matter how disappointed she was. “None of this is fair to either of us, but especially you. Alfred told me that you like to keep to yourself and now you have to have a stranger live with you and no one asked us if we wanted to and that’s not fair.”

He sat in shocked silence. “You don’t want this?” Why did that make him so upset? What she was saying made sense. She was right, it wasn’t fair that they were just thrust together.

“I-I do! At least, I am willing to try, but not if you don’t. And if you don’t, I don’t blame you. I mean, who would go along with all of this without at least  _some_  doubts and reservations. So if you really don’t want this, don’t go along with it for my sake. Whatever is supposed to happen between us will never happen if we both don’t want it to.” Kiku didn’t say anything for a while. Mara took his silence for an answer and sighed. “Once we land, you don’t have to stick around if you don’t want to. I’m sure you got better things to do back home. I’ll give Al a call and I’ll be fine, so don’t worry.” She looked at him and gave him a pained smile. “I do appreciate you taking me this far to my grandparent’s place.”

If he had been anyone else, she wouldn’t have cared that he didn’t want to be with her, she had only been interested in a relationship once, and it hadn’t ended well. Before everything that had happened the last few weeks, she hadn’t even  _wanted_  any kind of relationship.

But he wasn’t just anyone. He wasn’t just some coworker or the guy who rang up her groceries or even someone she saw every time she went to the gym. He was Kiku. He was her soulmate, they were destined to be together. He was supposed to be the one person in her life who would care for her, even love her. But she couldn’t assume that just because they were  _meant_  to be together, that he would  _want_  to be with her. She never had been a hopeless romantic, and save for reading her sister’s romance books, she never gave much thought to the subject. But for a short while, she had hope. She had indulged in that part of her that wanted the sappy storybook ending, a happily ever after. Because if she had any chance of that happening, it was with him.

She glanced up at Kiku, who hadn’t said a thing. He looked to be deep in thought. She cursed herself for a sliver of hope she still had that he would choose her.  _He might. If he really didn’t want to be with me, he would have just said no already. Or he could just be thinking of a way to say it nicely._

What would happen after this? Despite her pessimistic nature, she had never thought of what she would do If Kiku didn’t want her.

She supposed she would go back and live with Al. She knew he would love it. They would have fun and he would be the best roommate ever. But then he would find his own soulmate and she would move out. By then she would have a job and he would be busy with his soulmate. They would probably drift apart. And any of the other countries that she would befriend would find their own soulmates one by one and she would d be left on the sidelines.

_I don’t want to be alone._ The thought surprised her. She had always been alone and had always been ok with that. When had that changed?

 

She looked back at Kiku and he was still thinking. Was it really that hard to come up with a way to say no?

“Say something.”

He seemed to pull out of his train of thought as he finally looked at her. He had been close to deciding to take her up on her offer, but then he saw her. At first glance, she looked fine, if not a little angry. But then he saw that her eyes were a little watery and her hands were balled into fists.

He had been so caught up in wanting to do things his way, been so upset that he couldn’t choose for himself, that he had completely forgotten an important fact. If he took her up on her offer, he would be rejecting her. Her already short mortal life would be stained with the fact that her own soulmate hadn’t wanted her. He realized he hadn’t even given them a chance, and he was already willing to give up. That wasn’t like him at all. He usually saw challenging situations as a way to improve himself, but with this he was willing to quit before they even started. What was it about this, about her, that sacred him so much?

If he had his way, he would get to spend some time with her as platonic acquaintances, then that would grow into friendship. Romantic feelings would grow slowly and at their own pace, then he would ask her out on a few casual dates, then they would confess their feelings for each other.

This probably wasn’t what she would have wanted either, but she was willing to try. The least he could do was give them a chance.

“I want to try also.” She looked shocked. “You do?” He nodded. “The situation is not ideal, but it would be foolish to not see what happens.” Mara smiled. “For what’s it worth, I hope it does. Work between us, I mean. You um, you seem nice.” She finished with a blush, which was matched by Kiku’s. “Um, well, me too. You also seem nice.”  

The silence that followed was awkward but filled with shy smiles and secret glances.

 

She wasn’t sure when it happened, but she must have fallen asleep because Mara blinked her eyes open and sat up, a thin blanket falling from her shoulders. She was often disoriented when she first woke up

in the morning, and today was no exception. She wearily looked around to get her bearings and clear the mental cobwebs. Kiku was sleeping with his head resting on his folded arms next to her. She smiled to herself as she remembered talking to him the night before. He was surprised when she told him she had never seen anime or read manga before. He spent the next few hours telling her about his favorites. Some of them were weird sounding, but she found a few of them interesting. The last thing she remembered was him telling her about tournaments and spirit energy.

 

She felt a little creepy, but she stared at him while he slept. Soft looking black hair fell into closed eyes edged by short, full lashes. His lips rested into the tiniest of smiles.  _He is so cute._

Her hands brushed across the blanket she had been wrapped in and then realized she didn’t remember grabbing one before she fell asleep. Kiku must have gotten it for her.

_He didn’t even grab one for himself. Well, this is a privet jet, and I doubt he usually travels with people, so he might only have one on board. It is kind of chilly in here._

She unwrapped the blanket from around her and placed it on his back.

_I guess he’s sweet in his own way._

He didn’t strike her as the sappy romantic type with over-the-top gestures of love. He seemed like his romance would be sweet, but subtle.

She wasn’t sure what hers would be, she hadn’t been given the chance. The only relationship she had been in was only two weeks long and he was only as sweet to her as he had to be for her to agree to sleep with him. As attention starved as she was, it hadn’t taken much.

She didn’t think Kiku would be like that, at least she hoped he wouldn’t. She had thought the same thing about the other guy.

Her mind started wandering again, imagining what it would be like when - _if_ \- they started to get romantic feeling for each other. It was less girlish daydreaming and more curiosity. Having very few examples of healthy relationships in her life, she had to wonder what normal couples did with a quiet night at home. Would they sit together on the couch while they watched TV? Or maybe she would lay her legs across his lap as they read the day away? He mentioned he had a garden, so maybe they would sit in the garden and eat or watch the clouds drift by. Would they embrace when he got home from work? Maybe they would cuddle on the couch to destress from the day.

She couldn’t see them doing any of that stuff yet, but maybe in the future, when they got used to each other and opened up a bit more. Mara could only imagine it, but to her, those kinds of things sounded nice.

 

Kiku was jerked from his sleep as the plane touched down. He didn’t seem to have the same problem as Mara when he woke up. He immediately sat up and was awake. He noticed the blanket around him and looked over at Mara, blushing as he realized they slept next to each other. She answered his raised eyebrows with a smile. “You looked cold.” She took a sip of coffee she had brewed from the small coffee maker on board. “Thank you for getting it for me.” He offered her a smile of his own. “You looked cold.”

 

The car waiting for them was nice, obviously expensive, but not showy. Much like the man driving it.

The drive was mostly silent at first, more comfortable than awkward at this point. She realized that there were probably going to be a lot of those with him. She didn’t really mind though.

Halfway into the drive, Kiku cleared his throat to speak. “Would you mind if I asked some questions?” “Mara looked over at him and saw him look a little nervous. “What kind of questions?” “About you. Most of what we talked about yesterday was about the things I like, and I was wondering about things that you enjoy.”

Mara thought about it for a while.

“Well, I like to read. No specific genre, I just enjoy a good story. I never really had time to explore any other hobbies, most of my time growing up was spent either working or school work. Once I graduated, I was usually working. When I wasn’t, I was at the gym.”

Kiku nodded appreciatively. He liked she had a strong work ethic. It also meant she would be understanding when he had to work late a lot.

“What about family?”

Mara hesitated. She knew she would have to tell him the whole story eventually, but she had no intention of doing that just yet. Neither was she willing to lie to him about it. She decided on a watered-down version instead.

“Well, I was never close to my parents. They weren’t the affectionate type, you know? My grandparents were different, they loved whenever… whenever I visited.” She had almost said ‘we’ and that was not a conversation she was ready to have yet.

“If I have any extended family, I don’t know about it. After my grandparents died, I found out they left me the house and property. The plane ticket to come out here was always just a little too much for me to afford and I wasn’t old enough to get a rental car, so I haven’t been able to come here since the funeral.”

“How long ago was that?”

Mara sighed and tried not to get emotional. “About ten years. I wanted to come out here, so many times I thought about just living out here permanently, but I never did. I was lucky to get the job I had without any kind of college and I didn’t want to push my luck.” She felt so guilty, like she had disappointed them. She knew it was ridiculous, she wasn’t even sure if she believed in any kind of afterlife, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she abandoned her family.

“I’m sure they understand Mara-san.”

“I hope so.”

“What about you? I’m still not sure how the whole personification thing works, but do you have any kind of family?” He nodded. “In a way. Some of us have actual siblings and most of us think of the Ancient nations and empires as parental figures, but for the most part the families we have we make on our own. For example, the personification of America, or Alfred, as he calls himself, has an actual brother. He and Canada, or Matthew are brothers, but they consider the countries who raised them, England and France, as their older brothers. North and South Italy are brothers and Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are siblings as well.”

Mara wanted to go into the  _how_  of it all but decided that was a conversation for another time.

“What about you? Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

He nodded. “All of Asia is one family.”

She raised her eyebrows at that. “ _All_  of you?”

“Yes. It gets a little confusing, but to simplify it, China, myself, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam are siblings for the most part with China being the oldest. The rest are considered cousins, some more distant than others.”

Mara whistled low. “That’s a big family. Do you all get along?” Kiku winced a little. “I get along with my siblings for the most part, but due to our long history with each other, there is a lot of bickering.”

“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a big family.” “I’m sure its different for mortal humans, but one thing I assume is the same is that whether you want them or not, they are always going to be there.”

Mara felt a familiar pang in her heart. Michelle was like that. She would annoy her to no end, but in the end, she knew that Michelle would always be there. That is what she thought at the time, at least.

 

She was thankfully pulled from her souring mood when a familiar small town came into view. She sat a little straighter and happy memories pulled her lips into a small smile.

“Wow, this place hasn’t changed all that much.”

 

Kiku thought the town was a quiet, but cheerful place. He saw people waving and greeting others as they passed each other. The elderly seemed to gather inside small restaurants, older kids walked around unsupervised, laughing, and chasing each other on the sidewalks.

“It’s almost just like I remember it.” “Did you come here a lot?”

“Almost every summer. We would come into town for dinner sometimes and to watch a movie. When I got older, they would just drop me off and I would hang out at the bookstore for a few hours. There’s not much of a social scene for teenagers. Most of the people here have land or farms they need to take care of, so most of their time is spent helping their parents.” “Your grandparents had a farm?” “Nah, they just owned land. They came out here to retire, but they were pretty active people, so they bought a lot of land so they could keep themselves busy taking care of it.” Mara smiled wistfully. “I think you’ll like it. A good portion it is a garden.” “I am sure it is beautiful.”  He had  _no_  idea.

 

 They made a quick pit stop for groceries, and Mara got to see another side of Kiku.

“This is supposed to be their international section? It is just one aisle!” She noticed his accent got thicker the more upset he got, and she had to put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing.

“It’s a small town, Kiku. They don’t have much demand for, what did you say it was?”  “Unagi, eel. I don’t understand why they wouldn’t have it, it is a common ingredient! It makes no sense why they wouldn’t have it here!” People were starting to stare and she could tell they were getting annoyed. “Kiku, you need to calm down, ok? I’m sure they have other things you can use.”

He sighed and she swore he almost  _pouted_. “There are, but none as good as unagi.”  She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped at his dejected tone. She gave his arm a quick reassuring pat. “Don’t worry, we are only here for a few days.” He kept himself from flinching from her touch. He found out from spending time with Alfred-san that flinching away from people could hurt their feelings, and she was only trying to be nice. He sighed. “You’re right Mara-san. When we get home, I will make sure you eat  _proper_  ‘international’ food. I promise you it will be much better than anything you can get from this pathetic excuse for-” he held up a cheap Styrofoam container with such distaste you would think it had profanity written on it. “ _authentic_ Japanese food!”  _Home. He called it home._ While she figured it wasn’t anything more than the fact he was used to calling it that, the fact he had said  _when we get_ _home_ like it was the most natural thing made her heart do a weird flip-flop that she wasn’t sure if it was good or bad. Trying to play it off in case he really didn’t mean anything by it, Mara rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, like you guys don’t have microwave ramen.” “We do, but you find it in convenience stores, where people go when they can’t make an actual meal.” He had finally started to calm down and they had started to make their way to the registers. “Anyway, it’s just food.” She said under her breath, but he fixed her with a light glare that she should have been wary of, but she was just so happy to see him freely express emotion. He had never been emotionless, but he neither had he expressed how he really felt. “It is never  _just_  food, Mara-san.”

 

When the gate came into view, she felt both excitement and dread. She was finally back at the only place she had ever considered ‘home’, but she knew that nothing inside had been touched since her grandparent’s death, meaning that not only will it be that much harder for her to see it all the way she remembered it, but there would be pictures up on the walls. Pictures of her grandparents, and of her and her sister. She knew Kiku was smart, one look at them and he would know that she had a twin. And that would bring questions that she would have to answer.

 

Kiku sensed her unease as they pulled up to the house. He turned the car off and they sat in silence as she stared at the side of it. From here, he could see a glimpse of the garden and a corner of the deck. He was torn between wanting to know what she was upset about and wanting to give her the space she needed to deal with whatever it was. He was saved from having to make a decision when she silently got out of the car and made her way to the trunk to get their groceries.

Whatever was bothering her, it must be bad, because she wouldn’t even look at him. Finally, his worry for her outweighed his shy nature and he gripped her arm loosely.  “Mara-san.” She stared off to the side of him instead of looking at him. “What is the matter.” She said nothing. “Please.” His tone was soft and pleading, surprising even himself. He wasn’t heartless, but he had never found himself so worried about someone he knew as little as he knew her. It had to be part of a kind of soulmate bond, because right now he wanted nothing more than for her to laugh like she did at the store. As frustrated as he was, he couldn’t deny the pleasant warmth he felt knowing  _he_ had made her laugh. Even if it was at him.

 

Mara sighed. “Let’s just get the groceries inside. We’ll talk then.” All he could do was nod and let go of her. He followed her into the house, silently taking in the décor. “I’ll put the food away if you want to look around.” He hesitated before finally walking off. If she didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t force the issue.

 

He decided to look around the living room, figuring it would be rude to look around the bedrooms. The space was nice and very American. A large room with furniture to match and heavily decorated. Though, to be fair, he had been told that to most of the western world, his idea of normal home design was minimalistic. There was a large brick fireplace flanked by large vases with decorative branches and reeds. Most of the walls held pictures. One was dedicated to paintings that were mostly made up of landscapes. Kiku stopped to admire them. The mantle held large candles and a framed picture of a young couple on their wedding day. He had to assume the couple were her grandparents. The young man in the picture had one arm wrapped around his new bride, who was resting her head on her husband’s shoulder with her arms wrapped loosely around him. As he walked from picture to picture, it was clear that they were very happy people and obviously in love. He had to wonder if he and Mara would ever be like that, if she would look at him the way her grandmother looked at her grandfather.

He hoped that one day, she would.

 

Mara had made quick work of the groceries. She wasn’t looking forward to the coming conversation, but she knew that Kiku would figure it out no matter what. She paused as she turned the corner to the living room. She had been expecting him to be looking around, but he was sitting on the love seat holding a framed photo he took from the wall. Judging from the new empty space, it was one of the last ones taken before her Grandparents died. Before she could make her presence known, he spoke without looking up from the picture. “You have a sister.” It wasn’t a question, so Mara didn’t answer.

She made her way over to him and sat down. It just so happened he chose one of her favorite pictures. It was taken in the summer before their 16th birthday. Her Grandma wanted an addition to her vegetable garden, so her Grandpa was building her a new planter. Mara had been helping her Grandpa carry the wood over and Michelle was supposed to be helping their Granma bring the bags of soil to the chosen spot. But Michelle was Michelle and couldn’t resist throwing a handful of smelly manure-enriched soil at the back of her head, starting a dirt war that  _no one_ had won. In spite of being upset that so much of her good soil had been wasted, their Grandma couldn’t help but laugh and snap a picture of the two girls, covered in dirt and laughing, with Michelle’s arm slung around Mara’s shoulders.

 

“That’s one of my favorites. We were 15.” “What happened?” Mara chuckled. “Michelle couldn’t help but start trouble sometimes.” That’s not what he was referring to, and she knew it. But she just couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

“You didn’t mention her when talking about your family.”

Kiku had a feeling where this was going and figured that it was the reason why she seemed so upset earlier.

“No, I didn’t.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, we can forget it for now. When you do want to talk, I’ll listen.”

For some unfathomable reason, Mara was getting annoyed that he was being so damned reasonable. She was used to drunken yelling and demands to know when she was going to get paid, not calm and soothing words.

“Well, don’t get your hopes up, Kiku. I don’t talk about this to anyone. Hell, I’ve never  _had_  anyone to talk to. And I know that if I should talk to anyone, it should be you, and I  _want_  to, but at the same time I barely  _know_ you. I want to open up to you and I want to start trusting you, but just a few short hours ago, you looked like you were ready to bolt, and I don’t want the one person I get close to since my sister’s death to end up leaving. I haven’t had a lot of good in my life, Kiku. I feel crazy for feeling like this, but I want you to be the one to change that. I know it’s a lot to ask of someone I just met, and I am sorry. I know you would prefer to be casual about this, and I think that normally I would agree, but I have a tough time opening up to people. Talking about my sister would mean talking about a bunch of other shit that I didn’t want to talk about for a while but I knew that by coming here, I would have to.”

She had started running out of steam finally took a moment to breathe.

“I’m sorry for freaking out. I know probably think I’m crazy, but I’ve been trying to act like this is all normal and I’ve totally adjusted. The thing is, this whole soulmate thing is both exciting and terrifying and I’m having a tough time dealing.”

 

Kiku took a few minutes to process the information she just dumped on him. Her sister died. She had already told him she wasn’t close to her parents, but now he wondered if there was more to the story. She reaffirmed she wanted to try and be with him, but she was afraid that he would end up leaving her.

 

_I have trust issues._

_I haven’t had a lot of good in my life._

 

There was more to the story than what she was telling him, that much was clear. People don’t develop trust issues without having a reason.

A soft laugh pulled him from his thoughts.

“I know I must be giving you emotional whiplash right now. I really am sorry for lashing out. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Her voice was soft and when he caught her gaze, it was full of remorse.

“I understand this will take some time getting used to, for both of us. I am starting to see that we are alike in some ways.”

“How so?” “You said earlier that you do not have many friends, yes?” She nodded. “Alfred said you were a loner as well.”  “I am. I prefer to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself and that does not usually attract many people to want to be my friend. There are a few exceptions though.” Mara was silent for a while.

“I think it’s being here that’s making all emotional. I mean, it makes sense, but I don’t usually deal with all this.” She waved her hand in the air, gesturing to the pictures on the wall.

“I understand it is hard, but I think that talking about it will help. I am sorry for earlier. When I get stressed I tend to want to go home and stay there for a while and I was close to doing just that. It wasn’t fair to you, and I am sorry.” She smiled softly at him and reached her hand over to him only to jerk it back. “Sorry, personal space, right? I’ll try and remember.” He smiled back. “And I will try to not be so picky about it. For you at least.”

 

They stared at each other for a while. They wanted to reach out to each other, but they were both to shy to do it.

“I know I said it before,” Mara said with a blush and a smile. “but I really hope things work out with us. I um, yeah.” She trailed off and her blush got worse. She was going to say  _I kind of like you._ But chickened out. It was too soon for that. The few hours they have spent together have just been an emotional roller-coaster and she felt like they both needed some time to get themselves (mainly herself) back to normal before they (she) even began to consider any kind of feelings for the other.

 

Kiku blushed a little as well and gave her shoulder a hesitant, sort tap so light she had to question if he even did it. “So do I, Mara-san.”


	41. Turkey's Route Chapter 2

The drive to the airport was one of the more awkward situations Sadik had been in. When Alfred talked about her, he made her sound quiet and nervous around people, but every time he tried to start a conversation with her, she kept her replies short and came off a little aggressive.

Sadik could handle aggressive, but it seemed out of character from what Al said about her.

“Mara?” The airport was almost in view and he didn’t want this awkwardness carrying over on the plane. “Yeah?” Came another short reply. “Have I done something to upset you?” She hesitated for a moment. “No, not really.” Sadik took a moment to figure out a way to say what he wanted without offending her.

“Alfred talks about you a lot, you know.” He could see her look over at him from the corner of his eyes. “He does?” He nodded. “We may not have a lot of one on one dealings with each other, but we are often in the same meetings. Whenever he gets the chance, he tells everyone about you.”

“I had no idea.” She said softly. He suddenly had a sick feeling about what could be troubling her. He didn’t want to say it, but he knew he had to. “If you… I would understand if you don’t want to do this.” He tried to sound reassuring, but it had come out as disappointed. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel guilty. “It is easy for our citizens to get attached to us, and from how Alfred talks about you, he is pretty attached to you too.”  “Sadik, I-” “It’s fine.” He cut her off. He wanted to get his thoughts out before she told him she wanted to stay behind, and by now he was sure she would. “I want you to know that, although it didn’t turn out like I wanted, it really was good to see you again.”

Mara was silent. They had arrived at the airport, but neither of them moved to get out of the car.

She knew she hadn’t been acting like herself, just like she knew her behavior hadn’t been fair to Sadik. He  _hadn’t_  done anything to upset her, he had been nothing but nice to her. She knew it was her insecurities that were messing with her again, but after living with them her entire life, she couldn’t just turn them off when she wanted.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Sadik felt the sliver of hope he had been holding on to evaporate. She really  _did_  sound sorry, but that did little to shield him from the hurt. “I understand.” His voice sounded hollow, even to him. He turned the car back on, ready to take her back to Alfred.

Just as he was about to put the car in reverse, her hand reached out and covered his.

“No, that’s not what I meant.” He looked up at her, but she was staring at their hands.

“I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting. You’ve been really nice so far, and you don’t deserve me being all pissy.” She looked up at him and the corner of her lips lifted in a small smile. “I want to stay with you, I want to give this a try.”

He took a moment to process what she said. He had been ready to go back home empty-handed, with the knowledge that his one chance at any kind of lasting relationship had failed before it started.

But now…

He had hope again. He knew it wasn’t a definite thing, he knew he still had a long way to go before they would fall in love and she would bind her life to his, but now he had  _hope_.

He brought her hand to his lips and laid a soft kiss across her knuckles. His eyes were squeezed shut and his lips lingered, hoping to convey just how grateful he was. “Thank you.”

The raw emotion in his voice pulled at her heart strings. She was speechless as he continued to stare at her, even after he released her hand.

“Um,” She cleared her throat and looked away from him again. “Should we go ahead and board? Don’t want to keep the plane waiting.” His answering grin was so infectious Mara found herself giggling.

 

Once they were in the air and Mara had settled in her seat across from Sadik, the awkward silence returned, less heavy this time.

“Um…” Mara tried to think of  _anything_  to get a conversation going. Unfortunately, the first thing that came to her mind was what he had said about Al earlier. “So, what  _has_  Al said about me?” She inwardly winced as the words came out of her mouth. Considering that just a few short minutes ago, Sadik thought she was going to leave him for Al, he probably wasn’t going to be too thrilled about bringing him up again so soon.

But surprisingly, Sadik only laughed. “Don’t worry, it was only good things!” Yet again, Mara found his good-natured ways to be infectious and found herself to be grinning. “It was mostly just updates on your health,” He continued. “We were all pretty curious about you, you know. We bombarded him with questions about you, but all he would say was that you were nice, a little shy and nervous, but nice.”

 

Sadik watched her smile when he talked about Alfred and felt a growing familiar feeling of jealousy. “You really care for him, don’t you?” Mara looked at him and looked confused for a moment before apparently realizing what he was hinting at.

“Yes, but not like how you are probably thinking.” She quickly assured him. It was strange to her, that he was getting jealous. It was an unfamiliar experience, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. But she couldn’t deny the small bubble of happiness at the realization that he already thought of them as ‘together’.

“He’s my friend. To be honest, he’s my first friend.”

“Your  _first_  friend?” He asked, clearly shocked. Even the most introverted people usually had at least one friend.

Mara simply nodded. “I was kind of a loner growing up, always have been. Turns out kids don’t flock to the one kid who hardly talks and plays by themselves.” She shrugged and acted like it was no big deal. It wasn’t, at least not a  _huge_  deal.

“It was pretty lonely, but I’m used to it by now.” She smiled. “At least, I was, until Al.” She reached over and pat his hand. “Don’t worry, he’s too much of a brother figure for me to find him attractive.”

He placed his other hand on top of hers and smiled. “Good to hear.” She was a little surprised he didn’t seem to be embarrassed about his blatant jealousy.  _Well, it wasn’t like he got angry or anything. Weird, since Al said he was confrontational._

“You know, you’re not how I thought you were either.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “My first impression of you was you fighting with Heracles the entire time. Then, when I found out you were my soulmate, Al said that you and Heracles fight with each other all the time. Confrontational people kind of make me nervous.”

This time, Sadik looked a little embarrassed. “So that’s why you acted the way you did before.” Mara nodded. It wasn’t the only reason, but it was a big part of it.

He rubbed the back of his head and quickly tried to think of a way to set her mind at ease.

“Yeah, that cat freak and I do go at it a lot, but I don’t  _hate_  him or anything. Well, not much anyway.

The point is that I only get like that with him. I’m generally a pretty happy guy, you know? So you don’t have to worry about me picking fights or anything, ok?”

Her worries were eased a little, but she still looked a little skeptical. “So you only fight with him?” He nodded. “I don’t go out looking for fights much anymore, I’ve calmed down a lot over the years. Heracles… fighting is just something that we do now. We’ve been at each other’s throats for so long, it seems unavoidable by now. Every time we talk, we just end up fighting again.”

Mara grew concerned at the faraway, almost pained look in his eyes. Almost instinctually, she reached for his hand, gently stroking the back of it with her thumb. It was surprising, even to her. She had never been an affectionate person, but then again, she had never been given the opportunity.

Sadik seemed to appreciate the gesture, looking back at her with a soft smile. He turned his hand over and held her hand in his.

“It’s a good thing we met each other now instead of earlier.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, if you don’t like confrontation, then you wouldn’t have liked me in my younger years.”

Mara laughed. He was talking like he was ancient, he couldn’t be older than 30. But then she remembered. He was probably centuries older than her.

“Uh, this might be a rude question, but just how old  _are_  you?”

“It’s not rude.” He assured her with a chuckle. “I’ve been around for about 700 years.”

Mara tried not to gape. “What?! I mean, I didn’t know Turkey had been around that long.”

“I was the Ottoman Empire first.”

Now what he had said about her not liking the younger version of him made sense. She may not know a lot about the Ottoman Empire, but you didn’t get to be an empire by being nice and asking people to take their land.

Sadik took her silence for more worrying on her part and tried to convincer her again that he was different now. “You don’t have to worry, canim, I’ve calmed down since then. These days I usually try to make friends with the other European countries instead of taking them over.” He finished with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood a little.

“Besides, it wasn’t all bad, you know. Sure there was the warfare, but I was once a hub of art, science, and medicine. Compared to the rest of the world at the time, I was considered ‘religious tolerant.’”

Mara studied his face for a few moments before relaxing fully and smiling softly at him. “That’s pretty cool, actually. I had no idea.”  _That’s pretty impressive. Besides, it would be next to impossible to be around for almost 700 years and not have a few blemishes in your past._ She decided, allowing herself to take his word for it and trust him a little.

“So,” She started, deciding to help with lightening up the mood by changing the subject to one she was sure he would like. “Since I’ll probably be spending forever with you, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself.”

“Myself as a country or as a man?” Mara smiled and shrugged. “I wasn’t sure there was much of a difference, to be honest. I’m still trying to figure out how all this works. So, both, I guess.”

 

Sadik took the time to explain a little more about himself and the other countries. How they were the personifications of the citizens, all of them, and how it made picking sides in political discussions impossible since they saw and believed both sides at the same time. He confirmed what she assumed, that the current leader of the country was their boss. He went on to explain that while they had free will to a point, unless the people revolted against the government the personifications had to do what their bosses told them to. He laughed when she asked him what all the paperwork was. She had tried asking Alfred what it was after she had noticed that he would spend hours in his home office looking over stacks of paperwork, but all Al had said was that it was ‘secret stuff’. Sadik told her that while some of it  _was_  classified, another part of it was reviewing old laws, treaties, and trade agreements that otherwise would usually be tucked away in some archive and forgotten about. Most of it was putting the will and concerns of their people in written form and presenting them to their bosses. “A good boss,” He explained, “Will use us as a direct line to the people and see if they can’t find middle ground between what the people want and what the government wants when those sides don’t agree on something.”

“Do most of you have bosses like that?” He nodded. “For the most part. Its kind of a struggle sometimes to get some bosses to listen, but we can usually get them to see our side of things. Others,” He winced. “aren’t so lucky.”

 

He went on to talk about his home, the smile on his face and the pride evident in his eyes making Mara smile as she listened him talk about his people, how warm and welcoming they could be, how you could never go hungry since meals were large and the food delicious, how incredible the traditional art and literature was, how the rugs they produced were famous the world over, and every single thing he could think of. Love for his people shined through his every word, and Mara found herself captivated. If she could see herself, she would shake her head in embarrassment and shame. She leaned forward, head resting in her hands, eyes shining and doe-eyed, a dopey smile on her face. She looked like a love-sick school girl, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. His excitement and pride were infectious, she had never seen anyone express so much passion before in her life, and she couldn’t help getting sucked into his words, his grin, his eyes that were fixed on her the entire time he was talking.

 

After what seemed like hours, he finally ran out of things to say and probed her with questions, eager to find out as much about her as he could. What did she like to do? What kind of job did she have? What did she study in school? What were her favorite movies? Songs? Color? Did she like to dance? Did she like to read?

Mara took his bombardment of questions in stride, finding herself to not be as nervous about talking about herself as she would have thought.

 

Sadik was quickly becoming captivated by this woman. He was unsure about their pairing at first, but once she opened up, everything started clicking for him. He had already thought she looked beautiful, but then she smiled and laughed, her hands waving in the air as she talked. It was a drastic change in attitude from before, but one he was grateful for. He hung on to her every word as she told him about herself. She spent her free time at the gym. She used to be an assistant. He frowned when he heard she got fired, but she waved off his concerns and said her boss really didn’t want to, but he had no choice. She never went to college. She didn’t get the scholarships she applied for since the only thing she had going for her was good grades. He looked upset at that, and told her she could go to school in his country if she wanted, he was sure he could arrange it. She shook her head. “It wouldn’t be fair. Besides, I’m not sure what I would study anyway.”

She didn’t have a favorite movie, but she liked horror movies and nature/science documentaries.

Her favorite songs changed dependent on her mood and she liked the color red at the moment, but green was a close second. He laughed as she admitted that the only dancing she had done was at school dances and that what she had done could hardly be considered dancing. She laughed at his question about reading, saying that books had been her only friends while she was growing up.

There was a lull in the conversation, the silence more comfortable than awkward.

“Thank you.” He looked over at her, eyebrow raised in a silent question.

“I’m kind of a pessimist, so it was good to talk about the good things about my life and childhood. It makes me remember that there  _were_  some good times.”

“What about it was bad?”

Mara was silent for a while, unsure what to say. While he made her more comfortable about opening up about herself, this was more than just talking about her hobbies. She knew that in the grand scheme of things, her childhood wasn’t all that bad, even better than others. But it still left her with some internal wounds that she had left to fester instead of dealing with them.

Sadik reached over and placed a gentle hand on hers. “You don’t have to answer.”

He saw her close up again, saw the flash of pain in her eyes and immediately knew she was hurting, no matter how she tried to hide it.

Her lips twitched into a sad smile and shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Might as well talk about it now. It would have been obvious once we got the house anyway.”

She took another moment to collect herself, and Sadik waited patiently.

“My parents aren’t what you would call the affectionate type. I don’t even think they wanted kids to begin with, so I’m not totally sure why they decided to keep us, but when my mother got pregnant with twins, she didn’t give us up. From what little I remember, she stayed with us for the first few years. But for most of my memory, she and my dad were pretty much non-existent. They’re both alcoholics and gambling addicts, so most of the time they were at the casino. They would be able to get jobs sometimes, so we weren’t completely broke. Me and Michelle had to take care of and raise each other. It was hard for us. Most elementary schoolers only had to worry about homework and playing. But we had to make sure we were able to feed ourselves, figure out how to clean our clothes, homework, getting up on time and walking ourselves to school every day. It was hard, but we managed. It got easier once we got to middle school and high school. Michelle started to make friends and we could usually get their parents to drive us home from school. We were pretty much ignored most of the time, until we turned 16. After that, we were old enough to get jobs.” Mara let out a humorless laugh. “I finally got my wish, our parents started paying attention to us again. They were only after out paychecks though. They stopped trying to find work, so me and Michelle pretty much had to support the family with our meager cashier paychecks. Our parents managed to win a little money sometimes, so that helped a little.”

Sadik had started lightly rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, offering a kernel of comfort Mara greatly appreciated.

“Once we turned 16, though, we had also started talking about living with our grandparents. They had always said that their door was always open to us whenever we needed it. They weren’t worried about our parents calling the cops since we could make a pretty strong case of neglect against them. But before we could go through with it, our grandparents got sick. They didn’t last long after that. A few months later, Michelle went to a party with her friends. I never went with her. Parties have never been my thing.”

Mara took a moment to steel herself for what she was about to talk about.

When she had met Sadik a few short hours ago, she had no intention of talking about this stuff so soon. Hell, she didn’t even like to think about it.  

But, although it hurt to talk about it, she found herself  _wanting_  to talk about it,  _wanting_ to open up to him. He had such a calming effect on her, made her want to trust him and open up.

This was her  _soulmate_ , the one person in the world that was just for her, and she for him. If she couldn’t trust him, who could she trust?

“She got separated from her friends on the way back. She got cornered by some guy in and alley way. He was hopped up on something, he shot her while she was handing over her purse and left her there.”

Her voice was void of emotion and it broke his heart. You don’t get good at hiding that much emotion without practice.

“Mara…” He whispered, taking both her hands in his. She gave him a sad smile. “But it was good to remember some of the good times, few as they were. So, thank you.”

He shook his head. She was strong, and he wasn’t just talking about physical. He knew she was able to take care of those guys who tried to attack her, but it took another kind of strength to go through what she had and still be able to smile.

“You are amazing canim.”

She found herself blushing at his sincerity and looked down. “Not really.”

“Yes.” He brought a hand to the side of her face and tilted it so she looked up at him. “Really.”

The look he was giving her was so intense, she hand never experienced it before.

“Well, I think you’re pretty amazing too. I mean come on!” She laughed. “You are the living embodiment Of Turkey, you used to be on of greatest empires in history!” Her face fell a little. “Compared to you, I’m… nothing.”

His face turned stern, almost scaring her. “Now you listen to me. You are anything but nothing, you understand?”

It pained him to hear her think so little of herself, and he was infuriated at her parents for never giving her the confidence and security a child needs.

“You excelled despite the setbacks. You endured when others would have given up, you got stronger and bettered yourself. You went through a terrible loss and kept going. You. Are. Amazing.”

Mara felt the tears well up in her eyes. It sounded better when he put it like that, but it was the fact that he really believed she was amazing that pushed her to tears.

“You are amazing canim.” He said, his voice and gaze softening.

“And I am proud to have you as my soulmate.”

Oh, that was it. He did the thing. No one had ever said they were proud of her before. She felt the tears spill onto her cheeks. She hated herself for crying, but she couldn’t stop herself.

He rushed over to her side and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and enveloping her in his warmth and a comforting smell of spice and coffee.

She leaned into him, burrowing her face into his jacket, and making his chest rumble with a deep chuckle. “I’ve got you canim. I’m here now and I’m never letting go, ok?”  She smiled and nodded, her hands gripping onto his jacket. “Me neither.” He laughed and held her tighter. “Good to hear.”

 

 

It wasn’t clear who fell asleep first, but Sadik woke up a few hours later, Mara still in his arms and sleeping peacefully.

He rolled his head, trying to workout the kinks without waking Mara up and winced as the sides of his mask poked at face. He hardly ever slept with it on and was reminded why as his hair got tangled with the small knot that kept his mask in place. He gently freed an arm and managed to untie the knot and pull the mask off, setting it on the table and rubbing his face with a sigh. He felt the woman in his arms shift and heard her yawn. He looked down in time to see her eyes blink open and for her to smile sleepily at him. “Hey you.” He felt a warm, sweet feeling fill his chest and he smiled down at her. “Hey you.” She blinked and let out a drowsy chuckle. “Hey, your mask is off. I was wondering if you would ever take that thing off.” He brushed hair from her face and let his hand settle on her cheek. “I don’t take it off for just anyone you know.” Her cheeks turned pink and she hid her face in his jacket.

“It’s too early for flirting.” He laughed. “Alright, I’ll stop.” She looked back up at him and noticed the red lines on his face from his mask. She traced one with her finger and frowned. “You shouldn’t wear it if it hurts you.”

_She’s worried about me_. The thought made him giddy. He leaned into her touch. “Don’t worry, it’s only red because I fell asleep in it. Besides, I can’t have everyone knowing what I look like, can I?”

She had started to wake up a little more and voiced the question that had been on her mind since she first laid eyes on him.

“Why not? Why  _do_ you wear that mask?”   
“Does it bother you?”

“Not really, it’s a little weird, but I could get used to it.”

 “When I was younger, I had a bit of an ego. I had my portrait done may times over the years, and it had started to become noticed that I didn’t age. I realized my mistake too late and had decided to wear the mask to hide my identity. Later, I developed a flair for the dramatic and continued to wear it to give an air of ‘mystery’. Now it’s mostly a habit. But it is also a convenient way to live in the same area with out people realizing my lack of aging.”

“Oh, I guess that would be a problem for you guys, huh?”

He nodded. “The others move every few years. We all have houses set up all over our countries. We just cycle through them over the years.”

Mara thought about it for a bit. “So is that what we’ll have to do?”

Sadik got a weird thrill that she was already thinking of their future.

To Mara, it felt strange to already think of herself as part of a ‘couple’ and thinking of their future together was something she didn’t think she would be doing for a while. But if she were honest with herself, she was already becoming attached to Sadik and didn’t mind having a future with him.

“Yeah. I hope you’re ok with that.” Mara nodded immediately. “Definitely. I’ve always wanted to travel, and now I’ll be getting to do it all the time.”

He laughed. “For a pessimist, you sure are an optimist.” Mara giggled. “Well, you seem to have that effect on me I guess.”

He stared at her and his gaze softened. Mara was trapped by the clear affection in those hazel eyes of his. She briefly worried that this was all too much, this wasn’t like her at all. She wasn’t one to think with her heart instead of her head. All her logic told her to be weary of him, but for the life of her, she just couldn’t help herself. Here she was, wrapped up in the arms of a man she had known for all of 24 hours and she was comfortable, not embarrassed at all. She had been worried that being with him was going to be a struggle to overcome her own insecurities and hiding her past from him, but being with him felt natural, trusting him was as easy as breathing. It both terrifying and trilling knowing that if things didn’t work out with Sadik, she would never be the same.

Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face because his eyes grew concerned. “What are you thinking about.”

Mara didn’t want to ruin this peaceful moment, but she had to voice her concerns. It was part of this whole ‘dealing with your problems’ thing she was working on.

“I’ve only known you for a day.” She said with a disbelieving laugh. “It seems like I’ve known you forever, and I feel like I know everything about you, but I’ve only known you for a day!” She didn’t know if she was laughing at the weirdness of it all or just plain nerves.

“Before I met you, I was known for being a loner. Like I said before, I’ve never had a friend before Alfred. I’ve only been in a relationship once before, and he ended up being a fucking douchebag. I haven’t been even  _interested_ in a relationship in like six years, but here I am. With you. And…” She trailed off, she could feel her anxiety spiking and need a moment to calm herself down. Sadik took to running his fingers through her hair to help calm her.

“I’m kinda scared Sadik.”

His heart broke at the hopeless fear he heard in her voice. “Oh canim, you don’t have to be-”

“I’m scared because I like you. I  _really_ like you. I’ve never felt this way before, I’ve never trusted anyone this much and I’ve just  _met_ you and I know that part of it is probably because we’re soulmates, but if we don’t work out, Sadik, I don’t think I’d ever be the same and that is terrifying.”

He sat her up and moved her off his lap so he could look at her properly.

“Mara, as much as it fuels my ego to hear otherwise, you don’t need me, ok?” 

Mara’s brows scrunched together and she cocked her head to the side. That was not what she was expecting to hear.

“You are stronger than you know, and I have no doubt in my mind that if something were to happen and we weren’t together anymore, you would be fine.”

His expression turned soft, a sweet smile on his lips as he reached back up to cup her face. “But you won’t have to worry about that because I’m not going anywhere alright?” She wanted to believe him, she really did, but…

“How can you know that? Forever is a long time to be with someone.”

His smile was soft and pained at the same time. “I know. I’ve been waiting 700 years to meet you sevgilim.” (Darling)

She kept forgetting just how old he was. 700 years…

She couldn’t imagine living for that long.

“I didn’t endure all of that to let anything come between us. I know things won't always be easy. There will be times when we get angry at each other, and times when everything seems to be falling around us, but I promise you, Mara. I will never give up on us.”

Mara was speechless. This was more than she could have ever hoped for.  _He_ was more than she could hope for.

“You’re amazing.” He laughed and shook his head. “So are you canim.”

 

Their tender moment was interrupted by the plane landing, literally jerking them from the moment.

The car waiting for them was a black sports car that was flashier than what she thought he would have.

“I didn’t peg you for the sports car type.” He opened the door for her and held out his hand for her to grab. She smiled shyly and placed her hand in his, allowing him to help her inside. “Wait until you see my motorcycles.” He said with a grin before closing her door, leaving her in stunned silence.

_Motorcycles? What is a 700-year-old man doing with sports cars and motor cycles? Talk about mid-life crisis._ She made herself giggle, making Sadik look at her suspiciously when he climbed into the driver’s seat. “It’s nothing.” She assured him with an innocent smile. He smiled and shook his head, grabbing her hand and using his other to speed off towards the house.

 

The two-hour drive was filled with talking as singing, Sadik’s singing mostly. He flipped through the stations on the radio to find nothing that he liked. So, he decided to supply the music himself. It was mostly in Turkish, and the few English songs were ones she didn’t recognize, but she enjoyed his singing none the less. His voice was a deep baritone that needed no translation to get the emotion across.

She normally enjoyed peace and quiet, but she just couldn’t get mad that a handsome man with a beautiful voice was singing to her.

 

Sadik sang love song after love song. He was more than a little glad she didn’t understand his language yet. Although he wasn’t one to be shy about his feelings, letting a woman know you were falling in love with her just after meeting her wasn’t the best idea in his experience. Although she had told him she ‘really liked’ him, it wasn’t a declaration of love and he had the feeling she still needed some time to sort out her emotions on everything. And he couldn’t really blame her for it. It must have been a whirlwind of a time for her. First getting magically transported in the middle of New York, then having to survive on the streets, to being attacked, to finding out about the personifications and magic, to finding out who her soulmate was and having to accept the concept of an almost eternity, all within less than a year! It was enough to overwhelm anyone.

A squeeze to his hand brought him out of his thoughts and he glanced over at Mara. She was staring out the window with a small smile on her face. He looked around and realized they had entered a small town.

“What is this place?”

“It’s the town right before my grandparent’s place. Most of the people out here have a good amount of land, either for farming or just retiring, but they need the town for the things like a post office, farmer’s markets, the grocery store, a book store, clothes and that kind of stuff.”

He looked at the people walking the sidewalks and found a few small groups of teenagers and mothers pushing strollers and holding toddlers by the hand. Overall, the place looked kind of empty.

“Not a lot of people here.” He commented. Mara laughed and pointed down the road.

“That’s cause they’re there.”

He looked where she was pointing and saw a series of stands that were flooded with people.

“What’s that?” “The farmer’s market. It's always busy in the morning.” 

_Let’s see. A good-looking man with a charming smile and good manners and a killer accent. I’m not sure if he’d make it out without several women making passes at him. Plus, that_ is _a lot of people. A lot of happy, talkative people who will probably want to engage in awkward small talk. Awkward for me at least._ She looked at him, a little worried. “The house is gonna need food. You wanna head to the grocery store or try the farmers market?” He laughed and pulled into the gravel parking lot of the farmers market.

“Trust me, canim. I know my way around a market.”

Her suspicions were correct. Barely a minute in, and he was already getting approving glances.

To their credit, most of the women were older and most of the ones that weren’t married and more focused on keeping their gaggle of kids in line then checking anyone out. But the few single ones were sending him flirtatious winks and glances.

As he was more than a little attractive, she couldn’t really blame them. But it was like they didn’t see her fingers laced with his, standing close to him to avoid accidentally bumping into people.

But then again, maybe that was more her fault than theirs. She had spent most of her life trying to go unnoticed and had perfected it to the point where she did it with out even trying. She never made eye contact and kept her head slightly downcast. It made it easy for people to look over her.

They reached one of the vegetable stands and the young lady running it was a perky twenty-something who seemed to be taken with Sadik. “You new around these parts? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.” She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the table, not so subtly pushing her cleavage forward.

“Yeah, I’m just visiting with my girlfriend.” Mara flushed, both annoyed that he put the spotlight on her and giddy that he introduced her as his ‘girlfriend.’.

The girl running the stand finally looked and her and immediately sat back in her chair, her smile going from flirtatious to friendly. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

Mara offered a smile of her own and stepped away from Sadik a little, determined to act like the adult she was and not a shy kid. “It’s ok.” “So, you got family out here?” Mara nodded. “Yeah, my grandparents lived out here a while ago. Fernando and Sigrid.” Recognition dawned on the other girl’s face. “Oh! Your one of their grandkids!” She reached out and pat one of Mara’s hands that were on the table and smiled sadly. “You must be Mara. I heard what happened to your sister.” Mara was shocked. “You did?” “We all did. It’s a small town, news travels everywhere here.” “Ahh…”

The woman smiled. “If you need anything, you just let me know ok? I’m usually hanging around here, so you can find me pretty easy. Or you can just ask for Sadie.”

What a weird turn of events. This woman who had been flirting with Sadik turned out to be a possible friend.

“I will.” She replied. “Thank you.” She said sincerely, which surprised even herself.

 

The rest of the trip went smoothly, they got the food they needed and in no time at all, they were pulling through the front gate made from old wood that had been warped over the years and painted black. It was a whole minute before the house came into view, and it was everything Mara remembered it to be. A white farm house with rectangular pillars lining the wraparound porch, which had old white wooden rocking chairs flanked by hanging ferns and a small round table between them. The windows were framed by blue-grey shutters and the house boasted a floor to ceiling window with opaque white curtains showing from the other side.

The field in front of the house was mostly empty except for a group of fruit trees lining one side of the long gravel drive way, an old oak tree with long and twisted branches that held up a porch swing tied to one of the branches by thick rope and the other side of the property was lined by towering, creaking pine trees that swayed in the wind. When she stepped out of the car, the air smelled of woods and flowers, bringing out the memories of every summer she spent here as a child and through most of her teenage years. She could still remember the sound of her grandmas’ laugh as she pulled her granddaughters into a warm hug. She could remember that she always smelled of flowery perfume and whatever she had been baking that day. Usually brownies.

Sadik was silent as he watched Mara walk to the front door, as if in a trance. He was worried about her, he saw how heartbroken she was and although his first instinct was to comfort her, he knew that being here after all these years was going to be hard on her, and nothing he could say would make it better. All he could do was be there for her when she needed him.

He followed silently behind her as she walked into the house, putting the groceries down and leaning against the wall, waiting patiently for her to finish.

 

Mara knew no one had been inside the house since her Grandparents died, but it was still somewhat of a shock to see everything just like she remembered it. There was her grandpa’s recliner, her grandma’s paintings still hung on the wall. The decorations that her grandma loved so much and her grandpa put up with because he loved to see her happy were still up around the living room. There was the table her grandma’s parents had brought over from Sweden, the writing desk that had been set next to the wall for as long as she could remember.

Everything looked the same, there was even an old newspaper sitting on the coffee table, the ‘Sunday Funnies’, as her grandpa called them, still resting on top. But gone was the noise. The smell. The warm feeling that lifted her spirits every time she stepped through the door. She could remember the sound of the music her grandma always played, the sound of the old westerns her grandpa always watched. She could remember the smell of her grandma’s cooking and the smell of sawdust coming from her grandpa every time he came back from his workshop in the back.

It was the same house. The same furniture and the same decorations. But with out the rest of it, it wasn’t the same. It was like she walked into a stranger’s house. This was the only place she had felt happy, safe and wanted. Mara almost felt like she didn’t belong here anymore, like she was intruding. And it broke her heart.

 

Sadik rushed to her side, his previous intent of letting her have her space forgotten as soon as he saw the tears.

“Canim.” He pulled her to him, his warmth pulling her from her memories and grounding her in the present.

She has always prided herself on her independence. She has always been able to take care of herself, by herself. She knew that being around Sadik had started to weaken her. She could feel herself starting to depend on him and while it was comforting to be able to trust him, another part of her was reeling from the loss of control.

But none of that mattered right now. She was raw and vulnerable and try as she might, she couldn’t do this alone anymore. Not when she finally had someone who was willing to help her. Someone who was warm and who’s touch made her smile.

She clung to him like a helpless child and wept. She heaved heavy, loud sobs of pain and regret. Of heartache and anger. Of loss.

 

Sadik held on to her like their lives depended on it. He knew what loss felt like and looked like. For some one as old as he was, it was expected. But Mara…

She was young. Not a child, but young. Someone who has barely lived longer than twenty years shouldn’t have to feel the pain she was feeling right now.

He has fought countless battles, he has taken the lives of human soldiers and even some countries in the heat of battle. He has experienced the loss of beloved friends and even lovers. He knew and understood pain. He has done enough in his long life to deserve some it. But the only thing Mara did was exist. She wasn’t a country carrying out the orders of her boss. She wasn’t a soldier carrying out the orders of a general. She didn’t even have a bad attitude. She was just one of the countless unlucky people who were dealt a bad hand for no other reason than cruel happenstance.

He knew he couldn’t help everyone who deserved it, but he did what he could. And right now he could, and would, do anything possible to help the woman in his arms. This precious woman who already meant the world to him.

 

Mara finally got herself under control again and the tears came to a stop. She held on to him a few seconds longer, getting her breathing under control before she stepped back and wiped her face. Her emotions were still raw and she felt like she could burst into tears again at any second, but she was tired of crying and just wanted to move on from all of this. She took a deep breath and did what she did best. She took control of her emotions and put a smile on her face. “So!” She said with an awkward laugh. “Now that’s out of the way, how about I show you to your room.”

She turned to walk off, but Sadik grabbed hold of her shoulder before she could take a step.

“Mara.” She turned back to him, a smile still on her face. “Hmm? Oh, the groceries! We should put those away first, huh?” “Mara.” He voice was soft but stern. Her smile wavered.

“What?” “We need to talk about what just happened. Are you ok?”

The smile faded to a half-hearted pull at a corner of her mouth. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. His stare alone called her on her bullshit.

She sighed. “I will be.” He didn’t let go of her shoulder until she turned back to face him.

“I…” She sighed and looked down, finally dropping the happy, ‘I’ve got everything under control’ facade she had. “I’m not good at this stuff ok? All this ‘emotional’ shit. I never have been. Even when Michelle was been alive, I was always more closed off than her. She was the only one I trusted enough to let my guard down and when she left, I didn’t have any one anymore. I have been doing things one way for about eight years now, and now suddenly you come into my life. Now I’ve only known you for a total of twenty-four hours, but I can’t help but trust you and you are making me feel things I haven’t felt in years, if ever. You keep making promises that you’ll never leave me and I want to believe you, I do believe you, but you said that I would be alright if we didn’t work out because I’m strong. Your right, I am and I’m sure that I would be able to go through the motions just like I’ve been doing all this time, but it wouldn’t be the same because now I know that the grass really is greener on the other side. I can be strong. I don’t need you, but god damnit Sadik, I want you. I want to be vulnerable and weak for once in my life because I know you’re there and that terrifies me because that would mean relying on you to take care of me. I don’t know how to do that. Hell, I’m not even sure you  _want_  that. And all this,” She gestured to the house around them. “Was just the tipping point.”

She sighed and looked up at him. “I’m sorry. I know being with me has been an emotional roller coaster so far. I promise I’m not usually this crazy.” Sadik shook his head with a smile.

“Don’t worry about it canim. I understand. I knew going into this that it wasn’t going to be easy. Besides,” His voice turned teasing. “I like a challenge.”

The teasing had the desired purpose. Mara laughed and gently smacked his chest. “What did I say about flirting?”

He laughed and put his forehead on hers.

“I’d be ok with that, you know.”

“With what?”

“Taking care of you. My intention was never to make you think I wouldn’t. I just want you to think better of yourself.”

Mara leaned back and looked at him. “You will?” He nodded and kissed her forehead.

“Always bi tanem. Always.” (my only one)


	42. America's Route Chapter 3

Mara was woken by the fleeting, high pitched songs of nesting birds and soft sunlight shining through the opaque curtains. For a moment, she thought she was a kid again, visiting her grandparents during the summer and looking forward to a day of adventuring and exploring the property and nearby woods with Michelle. She was pulled from her dream-like state by the dip in the other side of the bed as someone shifted in their sleep and a heavy arm curled around her waist. She pushed away the veils of sleep and reality came back to her. She wasn’t a child anymore. Her grandparents and her sister were gone. She rolled over and saw Alfred, who was still sleeping peacefully. Like magic, the pain in her heart started to fade. He had turned towards her, giving her a full view of his gentle, relaxed expression and smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

All the pain and memories that were running through her head were reduced to quiet murmurs. 

_Who would have thought that_ I  _would end up_ here? _If someone had told me 7 months ago that this is where I would be, in my favorite place in the whole world laying in bed with a man, not just any man, my SOULMATE, I would have told them to fuck off._

Never in a million years did Mara think that this was possible for her. How did he manage to worm his way into her heart in such a short amount of time? Hell, she worked in the same office for two years and she still never got close to any of her coworkers enough to hang out at the bar after work or even give her a ride home when her parents had the car.

Yet, three weeks into meeting each other, Mara was closer to Al more than she had been with anyone else in her life (To be fair, that wasn’t saying much).

_How_ did  _this happen? Should I even be doing this? I really haven’t known him that long, but I am already so attached to him._  His lips twitched into an even bigger smile and Mara couldn’t help but smile herself.

_Is it really all that bad if I do? He makes me happy._

Her more cynical side spoke up.  _Oh sure, I’ll get attached to him and everything will be all hunky dory, but then how long until I NEED him? How long until I lose my independent nature. I wouldn’t need it anymore because he would be there. Do I really want that? Do I really want to become… Dependent?_

Mara rolled on to her back and sighed. The answer was no. She never wanted to be dependent on anyone. That’s how you get hurt. But she also couldn’t bring herself to let him go, not when he made her so happy.

Figuring she wasn’t going to figure this all out any time soon, Mara rolled out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. 

 

By the time Alfred came shuffling out of their room, Mara was sitting cross-legged on a stool at the breakfast bar, halfway through her coffee, with another full seaming mug sat in front of her. As soon as she saw him make his way into the kitchen she wordlessly pushed in over to the spot next to her. He sat down and gave her the happiest tired smile she had ever seen. “You’re amazing.” His voice was still deep and rough from sleep and made her heart flutter in her chest. Despite her inner turmoil, she couldn’t help but smile back. “I just made coffee.” He took a sip of his coffee and sighed happily. “Like I said, amazing.”  A few sips of coffee later, and it seemed to be doing its thing. Alfred jumped up from his seat and started making breakfast. “So, what do you want to do today?” He asked as he pulled out various ingredients from the fridge.  Mara shrugged. “I’m not sure. There are things that need to get done around the property, a lot, actually. Maybe I’ll start on those today.” Alfred turned to her with a slight look of shock. “But dude, we just got here! We didn’t come all this way just to do chores! We should relax for a few days first!” Mara thought about it. He wasn’t wrong, but she was never one to laze around the house, she had to be doing something. As if reading her mind, Alfred offered a solution. “Let’s go into town again. That was a lot of fun, right?” He looked over at her from his position at the stove and laughed at her obvious hesitation. “Don’t worry, babe. We can take our time today, I promise.” Mara relaxed and nodded. “Alright. That sounds like a plan.”

 After an amazing breakfast of bacon and the best damn eggs she had ever eaten, they made their way into town. Their first stop was the flea market which was just opening by the time they got there, allowing them to take their time looking at everything without having to weave in and around crowds of people. The only downside was that the funnel cake stand wasn’t open yet, much to Alfred’s dismay. Alfred offered to get her whatever she wanted, but Mara insisted she didn’t need anything. “It’s not  _about_ need, babe. What do you  _want_?” He whined. “I don’t  _want_  anything, Al, I’m fine.” She replied stubbornly. He spent the next few minutes pouting but quickly perked up once they found a stand of old comic books and memorabilia.

Mara wandered off on her own as Alfred gushed over and inspected each item, talking excitedly with the man running the stand.

She wandered from table to table, looking at knickknacks and figurines, antiques, and clothes when she spotted a stand full of paintings, small bowls, and other various forms of art. The woman running the stand sat cross-legged on her lawn chair, an earbud in her ear and writing something in a leather-bound journal. She obviously wasn’t expecting any customers yet, so Mara didn’t mind that she didn’t notice anyone had stopped by her stand until Mara picked up a small clay bowl painted a light green and had small geometric designs decorating the rim. The woman looked up from her book and snapped it shut, yanking the earbud from her ear and shoving it in her tote bag. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there! I wasn’t expecting early birds.”  Mara smiled and shook her head. “It’s fine. I was just looking around anyway.” She ran her fingers over the intricate details. “This is beautiful.” The woman smiled proudly. “Thank you. That one is one of my favorites.” “You painted this?” The woman nodded. “And made it.”

Mara raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I didn’t think anyone did pottery except old Mr. Richard.” The woman laughed. “There wasn’t ‘till I picked it up a few years ago. He’s still the best, but no one ever gets too see what he makes since he never leaves his house anymore, bless his heart.” Mara looked around the table. “Did you make  _all_  of this.” “Oh God no! I don’t have  _that_ much free time. My mom does most of the paintings and she helps me paint the bowls and figurines.” Mara smiled and placed the bowl back down. “My grandma loved painting too. Too bad it never got passed down to me.”  The woman stared at for a moment, then gasped. “You’re one of Mrs. Sigrid’s grandkids!” Mara was shocked. “You knew her?” The woman nodded frantically. “Yeah! I used to go to her house after school sometimes! She would let me paint with her when my mom was out of town! I live like, two houses down!” The woman hurried around the table and pulled Mara into a tight hug. “I’m Sadie. Your Grandma talked about you all the time. I recognize you from the pictures.” She pulled away and looked her. “You must be Mara.” She said softly. She pulled Mara into another hug. Mara didn’t know how she felt about all this. This woman was a stranger but had known her Grandma for years. “Grandma never mentioned you.”

“Well, she always complained that she never had as much time with you and Michelle as she wanted, so she probably wanted to devote as much time to you two as she could.” Sadie finally let go and stepped back from her. “I was at the funerals. I know it’s a few years too late, but I am so sorry for your loss.” Mara could only stare back at her blankly. Now that she thought back, she could vaguely remember seeing a girl about her age crying and clinging to who she assumed was her dad.

Sadie ran to her bag and pulled a piece of paper from her journal, bending over the table to scribble something one it. Just then Alfred came bounding towards her. “Hey babe! You find something cool?” 

Sadie handed her the paper, which had her name and phone number on it with a little heart below it. “Call me if you need anything ok? Even if it’s just to hang out. There are  _not_  enough single girls our age around here.” She finally caught sight of Alfred, who had an arm wrapped around Mara’s waist and smiled. “Or maybe you aren’t single?”  Mara blushed al little. “This is my, um, boyfriend, Alfred.” He reached out with his other hand to shake Sadie’s “You can call me Al.” “Good to meet you! I’m Sadie. I hope you know you got a special girl here.” Al laughed and pulled Mara closer to him. “Trust me, I know.” As Sadie turned to put her journal back, Al leaned down to whisper in Mara’s ear. “Look at you, making friends already.” Mara smiled and playfully pushed him. “Yeah, whatever.” 

A handful of ‘new’ comics and assorted pottery later, Alfred happily led the way to their next destination; Ice cream.

 

Despite her seemingly distracted behavior, Mara had to admit that she was having a lot of fun with Al. Like always, she felt at ease around him and talk to him. She didn’t feel like the pressure of their fates were hanging over them. She could relax, and it felt like they were a normal couple out on a date. However, her thoughts and conflicting feelings from that morning never really left her, no matter how many scoops of ice cream she had, or Superman impressions Alfred did. It got to the point where even Alfred noticed something was off. But it wasn’t until they got to a small park that he decided to do something about it.

By that time, Mara had started to get tired and slowed down, no longer able to keep up with Alfred’s seemingly limitless energy. She could have told him, and he would have gladly slowed down for her, but 25 years of keeping things to yourself was a hard habit to break.

 

Once they reached a park, Al grabbed her hand and steered a startled Mara to a bench. Mara raised her eyebrows as he pulled her down to sit next to him. “You tired?” He shook his head. “No, but you are.”

Mara rolled her eyes. “Al, I’m fine.”  He gave her a look. “Ok fine, maybe I’m a little tired.” She leaned back and sighed. “Thanks.” “For what?” “For making me take a break.” He gave her one of his blinding grins. “What did I tell you? I’m a hero.” He said simply, as if it was obvious. And it was, he was helping her more than he realized. She just couldn’t decide how she felt about that. She knew she should welcome his help, she should open up to him. But it was harder than she cared to admit. The truth was, her reluctance really wasn’t about him, it was about her being unable to trust herself to trust  _anyone._  No matter what happened, good or bad, it would be her fault because she chose to trust. She just didn’t know if she could take things going wrong between them. Despite all her efforts, she really had grown attached to him.

He noticed her silence and looked over to see her conflicting emotions written all over her face.

“Hey, babe?” She jerked herself from her thoughts and looked over at him. “Huh? What is it?”

“Are you ok?” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine, Al.”

He sighs at what he is discovering is her automatic answer. He can’t help but be a little hurt that she felt like she still can’t open up to him. All he’s tried to do is be there for her, but every time they started to get close, she pulled away behind that wall she had around herself. “Why won’t you let me help?”

The way his said that, in a soft voice she had never heard him use, tugged at her heart, but the words came from her mouth before she could stop them. “I can take care of myself.” She snapped at him. He visibly winced at her sharp tone and she instantly regretted it. He had never been this way around her, he was always either loud and confident or very rarely, gentle and kind. He had never let himself be so vulnerable with her. And she had just bitten his head off for it.

She leaned forward so her elbows were resting on her knees and held her head in her hands, her eyes transfixed on the grass beneath her.  _Why am I such a fucking mess?_

There is a long silence between them, both having so much to say but neither knowing how exactly to say it.

The fact was that although they had spent almost a full month living together, this was the first time they had the opportunity to spend this much time together. He was just realizing how little he knows about her and she was starting to realize how hard their relationship will be, at least until she got her shit sorted out.

In a quiet, barely there voice, Mara finally put some of her thoughts into words. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. You are the last person in the world who deserves that. You are so great, not only to me but to everyone. I know you are trying to help me and that means a lot, even though I don’t really show it. I know I’m stubborn and I am so sorry for that.” Her voice cracked a little at the end, but she wouldn’t let herself cry, even if they weren’t in public.

He was quiet for a few moments while he gathered his thoughts.

“I just want to help you. I know you haven’t had the best life and that’s why you are the way you are, and that’s ok. I-I care about you, Mara, I really do.” Mara felt her heart melt and the pain of guilt in her chest got worse. “I know Al, I do too.” He took a deep breath and looked at her again with a half-smile, none of his usual mirth behind it and that just about broke her heart.

“If you feel like you can’t rely on me just yet, that’s ok. I’ll be here until you do. We’re soulmates, right? So, I’m not going anywhere.”

Mara felt tears gathering in her eyes and quickly wiped them away. “Thanks, Al. You really are too good for me.” He smiled wider and stood, his hand tightly gripping hers, as if she was going to slip away. “Come on babe, we still have half a day and a whole town to explore and we aren’t going to do it sitting on our buts.”

The air was relaxed around them again, as if nothing had happened. But Mara couldn’t help looking at him from time to time, amazed at her luck.

 

_I really don’t deserve you, Al._

 

( **The inspiration for this part and the song he sings to her is  Break On Me, by Keith Urban** )

Later that night, after ice cream was had and bookstores were scoured, they lay side by side in their bed, awake and staring at each other. Mara could feel a space between them that wasn’t physical, and she hated it. He was trying for her, she knew. But she couldn’t get rid of the voice in her head saying this was all a mistake. He was going to leave her because she wasn’t good enough for him.

“Babe. Stop.” Mara snapped out of her thoughts and felt that her cheeks were wet.

“I don’t know what was going through you're head, but I hate seeing you cry.” He looked desperate and Mara felt awful, knowing it was her fault since she was making him worry.

“I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “Don’t. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arm around her, holding her tight to his chest. Mara hesitated, then put an arm around him, her fingers lightly gripping his back.

His own fingers went up and down her back, soothing and relaxing her. He started to sing, low and deep. The lyrics saying everything he wanted to say to her.

She fell asleep, warm and safe in his arms.

 

 

But nothing could save her from what was waiting for her in her dreams that night. 


	43. England's Route Chapter 3

The morning songs of cheerful birds fell on deaf ears as Arthur lay in bed awake, hoping the earth would swallow him whole. What had he been thinking yesterday? He had known Mara for a day, then he goes and confesses his love for her?  _What in the Hell is wrong with me?_

He wasn’t one to let his emotions get the best of him, he was always in control of himself, always the perfect gentleman. He had fought countless armies and conquered countries and the seas. He had been a pirate captain and an empire! There was a reason there was there was a ‘Great’ in his title!

Yet, one single day with a beautiful woman, an American one at that, and he was done for.

He turned over, sighing as he saw Mara still sleeping, a small frown on her face even as she slept. He had a guiltily feeling that was his fault. His fingers itched to gently smooth out the frown lines and his lips wanted to kiss the corners of her mouth until she smiled at him again.

But he couldn’t.

He knew now that it was wrong of him to tell her his feelings for her yesterday. She had just visited the graves of her family and had opened up to him about her past the day before. The last thing she needed was him putting pressure on her by telling her that he was in love with her. He should apologize to her. He didn’t want to, he meant every word he had said, but he should apologize to her when she woke up. It was only fair.

 

Little did he know, Mara was already awake. She kept her eyes closed and kept her breath even so he wouldn’t know. To say she was a little freaked out would be a gross understatement. Not only was she on her way to live with the man she will be with for the rest of her life, she had just met him. And she had told him she had some kind of feelings for him after only a day. And he had said he  _loved_ her. After only a DAY.

Then, to top it all off, she was in bed with him with no way to collect herself before dealing with all of this. Nope, she had to agree to sleep in the same bed as him after a few hours of meeting him.  _Yeah, because that’s normal._ She thought sarcastically.  _Wait,_ was _it normal?_

She had to keep herself from sighing so she didn’t alert him that she was awake. She felt him shift and could hear his own soft sighing. He was facing her now and it took all her self-control not to open her eyes and look at him.

Despite all her nervousness and frustration, being this close to him made her heart flutter made her want to smile.

She and her sister were alike in a lot of ways, but their ideas of love had never been one of them. Once puberty had hit and boys became interesting instead of disgusting, Michelle had her head stuck in romance books, gushing to her of the day when she would get her own happily ever after when the perfect guy would fall in love with her and whisk them far away.

Mara, despite having read her fair share of romance books, never bought the idea of a fairytale ending.

It wasn’t like she didn’t  _believe_ in love. Her preteen and young teenage years had her dreaming of true love just like everyone else. But her idea of true love wasn’t perfect princes on white horses.

She had always thought that if she would ever get to fall in love, it would be a deep love that would happen over time. She had always thought it would start off with a smile, then long talks leading into nervous glances and racing hearts. She had always imagined her true love would also be her best friend.

But then again, she never had friends, did she? She had never been in love. There was a boy who managed to worm his way into her heart, but it was after her sister had died and she was hurt and alone, and he had only been using her. She didn’t think she would get her ‘true love’ but here she was, lying next to her  _soulmate_. This was more than true love, this was  _fated_.

She had just met him, she should be awkward and shy, she shouldn’t want him to wrap his arms around her while she slept. She barely knew him, she should be worried if they were even compatible, not wondering what it would feel like to run her fingers through his hair.

She shouldn’t be this attached, she shouldn’t feel so  _strongly_  about him, but she was.

She  _felt_  something for him, something she had never felt before and had only dreamed about.

But she didn’t want to call it love.

Not yet.

 

Mara heard him sigh again. She felt him lightly brush her cheek and move some hair from her face. She couldn’t help the smile, then figuring it was too late to keep pretending, she blinked her eyes open and saw Arthur laying a few short inches away.

“Good-mornin' love.”

She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks at the soft, affectionate look and the gentle, sleepy way he spoke.

“Mornin.” She whispered back.

They lay there, simply staring at each other, both having so much to say, but neither know how to say it.

Mara eventually worked up the courage to place her hand on his cheek, gently stroking it with her thumb. He smiled and closed his eyes, cherishing the feeling of her touch.

He suddenly looked nervous, his eyes searching her face for something, “How are you feeling?”

“About what?”

She didn’t know what he was talking about, she was too caught up in their sleepy moment, suddenly forgetting what had her so worked up just a moment ago.

“About yesterday.”

Ahh, there it was. It came flooding back. Mara took her hand from his cheek and turned over on her back to look up at the ceiling, taking a moment to put her feelings into words.

“I don’t know.” She sighed and rubbed a hand over her face.

Arthur felt another twinge of guilt. She looked so stressed out over it. The last thing he wanted was to make things harder for her.

“I’m sorry.” Mara turned to him, eyebrows furrowed.

“Huh?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything yesterday. I was… I was rushing things. It was too soon for that, so I’m sorry.”

He watched her face go from confused to upset, which confused  _him_. He had thought that would relive her, but now she looked more upset than before!

“You didn’t mean it?”

She hated the way her voice wavered, revealing just how much that upset her.

Arthur struggled with his answer. If he answered honestly, it would defeat the purpose of the entire conversation, but if he lied…

He couldn’t bring himself to do it, he tried, if only to spare her the worry, but he couldn’t.

She looked so upset at the thought, maybe the truth would be best.

“I meant it. I meant every word I said, darling.”

The relief she felt was written clearly on her face. “I just want you to know, that I don’t expect you to feel the same way yet. If you need more time, I won't rush you. And if… If you never do-”

Mara cut him off with a finger to his lips, forcing herself not to notice how soft they were.

“Arthur, I may be confused about a lot of stuff, there are a lot of things in my life that I don’t have figured out right now, but I do know that I have feelings for you, strong ones. I know it’s not fair to you, Arthur, and I’m sorry about that. It’s just…” She trailed off and heaved a loud sigh.

“I mean, we just met! And I  _know_  that I shouldn’t be feeling like this, hell, I never  _have_ felt like this! It makes no sense to me, but I  _do_.”

She turned back to him and took a breath to calm herself.

“All I know is that I want to be with you. I want to wake up next to you like this every day. Talking about my family was hard, but having you there made me feel better.” She placed her hand back on his cheek.

“I know how I feel about you.” She whispered, finally admitting it. “But I just need time. I don’t think I’m ready for forever yet. I’ve got to get myself sorted out first, but I can promise you that it won't take long. Not when you’ve been so amazing. Just give me some time.”

Arthur covered her hand with his and turned his head to kiss her palm.

“I understand.” He said, feeling more hopeful than yesterday. “I’d wait forever for you, my love.”

She smiled and shook her head. “You won’t have to.” Her smile faded “I’m sorry I’m such a mess, Arthur. You deserve better.”  He shook his head and wrapped an arm around her waist. “No, love. I’ll admit this is moving fast, and a few days ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed that I’d have fallen in love so quickly. It’s normal to feel confused when we’re just starting out.” He placed his forehead on hers. “I don’t want you to feel pressured to love me back before you’re ready.”

Their lips were so close. It would take the smallest shift to connect them.

Their warm breaths mixed, and their hearts started beating faster, but neither made a move. Not when so much was on the line, not when there was a good chance the kiss would be binding.

 

Arthur was the first to move away, leaving a lingering kiss on her forehead before he stood from the bed. Mara watched him as he picked clothes from his bag. She knew that had been a close call, and she needed a break from the emotional rollercoaster that morning had been.

“Was there anything you wanted to do today?” He stopped in the middle of looking for a shirt to think.

“Nothing in particular, what about you love?” Mara stood from the bed and stretched, emitting a small squeal. “Well, there’s some work that needs to be done around the property, but I wasn’t planning on anything too strenuous today. I was just planning on taking a quick walk around the garden and see what flower beds need to be taken care of.”

After he had finally picked out his clothes, Arthur walked over to Mara and placed another kiss on her forehead. “That sounds wonderful. I haven’t had the time to do some gardening in a while.”

“You don’t mind helping?” Mara was surprised. She had been planning on doing it herself. “I don’t mind at all love.” With that, he left to go change in the bathroom. Just as Mara changed out her tank top for a t-shirt, she heard the doorbell ring. She didn’t want to answer to door in sweatpants and a shirt, but she didn’t want to keep whoever it was waiting.  _Who the hell could it be_? She didn’t think she would have any visitors while she was here.

She answered the door with a hesitant, but polite, smile. Standing there with a foil-covered casserole dish and a smile was a woman around her age with pale skin, freckles, and thick, curly light auburn hair.

“Hey there!” She said with a slight southern twang. “I’m Sadie. I live a few houses down. I was out in town yesterday and people were saying that someone was had moved in here, so I decided to come and say hi and welcome you to the area!” Mara took a quick look at the woman and tried to remember if she had ever seen her before. “Uh, thanks. That was really nice of you.” She smiled at her so she wouldn’t think her rude. “Um, would you like to come in?”

Mara was trying to remember her ‘host etiquette’. She wasn’t used to having people over. Ever.

Sadie smiled and stepped inside, slipping off her sandals before Mara had to ask. Maybe it was the white carpet. Few people wanted dirt tracked over their white carpets. Mara watched in suspicion as Sadie made her way directly to the kitchen. “Have you been here before?”

Sadie seemed to suddenly realize what she was doing. “Oh, I’m sorry! I should have told you before.” She placed the casserole dish on the counter. “I knew the people who used to live here. An elderly couple, nice people. Honestly, you couldn’t have met anyone as kind as they were. They passed a few years ago.” She took a look around the place and cocked her head. “The old furniture comes with the place?”

Mara, who was still in shock, could only nod. “Man, it does bring back some memories. I used to come here after school and Mrs. Sigrid would look after me when my mom was out of town.” She took a seat at the breakfast bar. “Hm. Strange. I would have thought their granddaughter would have wanted it. She sounded really nice. I’ve never met her, but Mrs. Sigrid, her grandmother, talked about her grandkids all the time. So, when’d you buy the place? I didn’t even know they put it up for sale.” Mara had finally found her voice and answered. “They didn’t. I inherited it.”

Sadie just stared at her in shock. “Oh my God, you’re the granddaughter.” Mara nodded, still trying to wrap her head around who this woman was and how she had never heard of her before if her grandma knew her so well.

“Mara, right?” She nodded. “I am so sorry. Ok, let me try this again.”

Sadie stuck her hand out. “Hello, I’m Sadie. I was good friends with you Grandma and I am so sorry about your sister.” Mara wordlessly shook her hand. Sadie placed her other hand over their clasped ones. “I was at the funerals. I am sorry we never got to meet before, but Michelle sounded wonderful from how you Grandma talked about her.” Finally, Mara smiled a little. “She was.”

Arthur stepped into the living room and was surprised to see they had company. He quickly noticed that Mara was upset and immediately went to her side, relishing the way she leaned into him as he wrapped his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head and smiled when she looked up at him. He wasn’t one for public displays of affection, but he was willing to show a little if it meant making her feel better.

 

He turned back towards their guest, who was looking at their obvious affection for each other with a smile. “Hello, I’m Arthur.” He introduced himself as he reached to shake her hand. “I’m Sadie. I live a few houses down so I came by to say hi to the new neighbors.”

“Sadie knew my Grandma pretty well, as it turns out.”

_Ahh, so that was it._  It would make since that she was still emotionally raw from visiting their graves and staying in their house. He gently stroked her side to offer silent comfort.

“What a coincidence.”  “I know, small world, right?” Sadie said with a smile. “Well, I better get going.” She said as she stood from her seat. “I’ve gotta set up my table for the Flea market.” She placed her hand on the covered dish. “These are brownies for y’all. Just bring it back when you’re done, alright?” She smiled and Mara followed her to the door and held it open as Sadie slipped on her shoes. “I’d love to talk more, but I really got to run.” She said apologetically. Mara waved it off. “It’s ok, I understand.” “If you ever want to talk or hang out, you know where to find me!” Mara waved her off and shut the door, standing there for a minute to try and process what just happened.

“Mara?” Arthur came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you alright love?” Mara turned and placed her head on his chest, pushing aside whatever embarrassment and insecurities that usually prevented her from showing affection. “Yeah. I didn’t know my grandma even knew her. She never mentioned her.”

“She seemed nice.” Mara nodded. “Yeah, she seemed ok. She seems like someone my grandma would like. It’s just weird to meet her now, you know?” He nodded and rubbed her back. “How about I make you some breakfast, then we can start on the garden. How does that sound love?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

 

Their day was a quiet one. Hardly a word was said between them, but it was just what they needed. They worked side by side, speaking only to ask the other to pass a trowel or pruning shears.

The silence was comfortable, both taking the time to destress from their own emotional turmoil. Arthur managed to calm his ever-strengthening feelings for her and put things in perspective. They might be soulmates, but they still needed to get to know each other and get used to each other. There wasn’t any rush.

Mara used the time to clear her mind of her conflicting thoughts and emotions and to look at things clearly. The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster, keeping her from looking at things from a logical perspective like she was used to.

_Arthur and I are soulmates, that is a fact and cannot be changed. I have feelings for him, that much is true. I don’t know much about him, just his name really. Most of the time we have spent together has been about me and my issues._  She frowned as she yanked out a particularly deep-rooted weed.

_That’s not really fair, is it? This may be my first real relationship, but even I know that relationships can’t all be about one person._

This revelation brought about a new, and confusing, train of thought.

_If I don’t really know anything about him, where are these feelings coming from? You can’t really love someone if you don’t know them. So why am I feeling like this?_ Mara was struck with an unsettling thought.  _Is it just because we are soulmates? Is there a kind of ‘bond’ connecting us that makes us feel things for each other whether we want to or not? I wouldn’t have thought it possible before, by that was when I didn’t know about magic or soulmates. Hell, according to Arthur, there is a whole other ‘realm’ of magical creatures governed by beings that are close to all-powerful. Maybe_ they  _are making us feel this way to ensure we end up together. Arthur said it himself, he never would have thought he could fall in love this fast until he met me. Does that mean he loved me the second he met me? Or after he found out we were soulmates? Because if it was after, that means this_ isn’t  _a case of love at first sight. We kept in contact for the three weeks I was staying at Al’s house. If he only felt this way after we found out we were soulmates, that points to the likelihood of someone -or something- interfering._

By now, Mara was chewing her bottom lip and yanking out weeds faster than before, hoping to stave off her worry with work. Unfortunately, it meant they were done faster. The entire garden was weeded by mid-afternoon, leaving almost half the day with nothing to do but think things over some more.

Arthur, who would have to have been blind to not notice the state Mara was in, was trying his best to give her some space. He had decided that the best course of action was to dial things back a bit. She needed time to figure things out. So he figured that giving her space to do that would help as well.

But the way she was roughly biting her bottom lip as her brows were furrowed and the fact she had been weeding without gloves had earned her a few scratches that she didn’t seem to notice, made him worry about her.

As soon as they got back in the house, he made a beeline for the bathroom to search for a first aid kit. He walked back towards the living room with the white box in hand and saw her sitting at the breakfast bar, one foot on the stool and resting her head on her knee. He sat across from her and gently unwrapped one of her arms that were hugging her leg and looked at her palm. She finally noticed him and looked to see what he was doing. “Where the hell did those come from?” She was surprised to see light scratches on her fingers and palm. Now that she noticed them, they started to sting a little.

“That’s what happens when you garden without gloves.” He scolded her. Mara rolled her eyes.

“ _You_  didn’t use gloves.” She pointed out.

“I don’t need them, one of the perks of being a country is accelerated healing.” He explained as he dabbed a cotton ball soaked with antiseptic over her cuts. “Unless our injuries are a result of the state of our people.”  That got her attention. “What? What does that mean?” She realized she still didn’t know how the whole ‘personification’ thing worked, just that it did.

“Let’s say the economy takes a turn for the worse. The people would suffer and so would we, usually in the form of a flu-like illness. We won’t get better until things are fixed.” 

Mara started to think of what he and the others had to go through. Economies aren’t fixed overnight. That would mean having the flue for  _years_.

“What else could happen?” She asked in a softer voice.

He was silent for a while.

“A lot, to be honest. Anything that affects our people, affects us. Poverty, epidemics, feelings of resentment towards each other or the government. We are our people, so we bare the evidence of how well, or poorly they’re faring.”

He snapped the box closed and smiled. “But you don’t need to worry about all that love. Even when we are bonded, you won’t be a country, so you shouldn’t be affected by anything.”

Mara was silent as he put the first aid kit away. As she was thinking things over, she pulled out her phone and shot a text to Al, asking him to try and get more information about how Soulmates worked. She knew she could just ask Arthur, but she didn’t want him to think she was doubting his feelings. Even though in a way, she was.

She hit send as Arthur walked into the living room, book in hand.

She decided to make them a late lunch as she gathered her thoughts. She took a look at the fridge and decided on a quick BLT.

The work was practically mindless, slicing a tomato, frying bacon, and shredding lettuce. After she finished the bacon, she noticed Arthur had moved to the breakfast bar to read.

“Tell me more. Please?” He looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow. “About what it’s like to be a country. About you.” He smiled and shook his head. “I told you love, you don’t need to worry about-”

“But I do, Arthur.” He looked surprised at her suddenly serious tone. She placed a sandwich in front of him and sat down, turning the chair to face him.

“If I am going to be spending forever with you Arthur, I need to know.” She locked eyes with him to make sure he knew she was serious. “Even more than just understanding how everything works, if something happens and you get sick or injured, I need to know why and how I can help. I just need to know more about you, Arthur. If we are going to try and have a relationship, I need to know more about you. It can’t just be you taking care of me all the time, that’s not fair to either of us.”

Arthur considered her words for a moment. She was right, he knew that, but he didn’t want her to be burdened with it. But, if they were going to be in a relationship, she was going to witness the realities of being a Country, even if she wasn’t one herself. And if she was willing to open up to him, she deserved the same. Even if there were some parts of his history he would rather forget.

He cleared his throat and reached for her hands, holding them gently.

“As I already told you, we are affected by the conditions of our people. If our people are happy and well off, we are healthy. If there is an outbreak of something, we get sick. If there is war, we bear the scars. But for the most part, we are immortal.” “For the most part?” “If a war gets bad enough, if our people suffer too much, if the country falls, we die.” Her hands gripped his and he rubbed his thumbs across the back of hers.

“But none of us have died in a long time, love.”

Her eyebrows scrunched together. “Wait a minute, if you die if the country falls, how was I able to meet Prussia?” Arthur couldn’t help but smile. She was a smart one. “Good catch. To be honest, we aren’t too sure of him ourselves. According to what we know, he should have died with his country, but he didn’t. If you ask him, he’d say it was because he is too ‘Awesome’.” Arthur rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I never thought I could hate a single word so much.” Mara giggled. “Oh, it’s not so bad.”

He gave her a deadpan stare. “The word came into use in the 16th century. He has been using it ever since.” “Woah, that’s a long time.” “ _Tell_  me about it.” His annoyed expression melted into a smile as she laughed. “See love, you have nothing to fear. Aside from coming down with the flu occasionally, I’ll be fine.” “That’s good to hear. So.” She sat up and sat cross-legged in her seat. “Tell me about you.”

“About me?” “Yeah!” She laughed. “You know stuff about me, and all I know about you was that you used to be a punk and a pirate. So, tell me more.” He chuckled, sat back in his seat, and crossed his legs. “What do you want to know?” She smiled. “Whatever you want to tell me.”

 

He had a lot to tell her, as it turned out. They talked for hours, eventually moving the conversation to the living room so they were more comfortable. He told her about his time at sea, all the places he saw before they were so densely populated. He told her about finding Alfred, all alone in a field. She smiled at the faraway look in his eye and his gentle smile as he recalled Alfred in his younger years. He skipped over the Revolutionary war, and she didn’t ask. He told her about his Kings and Queens, which ones he hated and the ones he loved. He complained about Francis at great length, causing Mara to stifle her laugh every time he went on a tirade of expletives and names to describe his long-time rival.

Before they knew it, the sun had set, remnants of a now cold delivery pizza sat in front of them as he told her how he lived in and near forests for the first century or so to keep his lack of aging hidden from people.

He noticed Mara had been quiet for a while and looked over at her. She was fast asleep, slumped over and resting on the armrest, holding a pillow. He smiled and stood, carefully gathering her in his arms. He gently put her down on their bed and laid down next to her, continuing to stare at her.

He thought he had done well keeping his distance today, although after talking with her for so long, he felt closer to her now than before.

She was everything he could ask for in a partner. She was beautiful, smart, strong, and funny. If she noticed him muttering to his friends today, she didn’t mention it or make fun of him for it.  
  
She had her own demons and things she had to work on. She wasn’t perfect, but then neither was he.

She was smiling in her sleep, telling him that what was bothering her that morning was dealt with for now. He smiled and let his eyes drift closed. She wasn’t perfect, but she was damn close.

 

 But neither of them had a way of knowing what was waiting for her in her dreams that night.  


	44. Canada's Route Chapter 3

Mara woke to sunlight streaming in through a gap in the heavy curtains and the tantalizing smell of something being cooked. She rarely took the time to sleep in, and when she did, very few things could entice her to get out of bed. One being food and the other being coffee. As only one of the two were detected, Mara simply rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stared up at the celling, a large yawn stretching her mouth open as far as it would go. She wasn’t usually this groggy in the morning, but all the crying from yesterday must have tired her out more that she had thought.

The events of the day before ran through her mind and a small grimace pulled at her face. She was shocked and somewhat appalled at how quickly she lost her shit and broke down in front of Matthew.

She had known him for no more than a week, but she had so easily spilled her guts and cried for god knows how long, all while clinging to him like a damned child.

Sure, he had said he didn’t mind, he had even told her to let him help her, but how could she have let herself do that so easily? Especially when she had spent the last 25 years doing the exact opposite of that. What was it about him that made her trust him so easily? Was it simply the whole ‘soulmate’ thing?

_No, I’m just that fucking weak._

Mara sighed as the hateful thoughts bubbled their way to the surface of her mind.

_Sure, he’s sweet and all, but no one likes to hear someone bitch and moan about their problems, and they_ really _don’t like people crying over them. If he isn’t disgusted with me, I sure am disgusted with myself._

Mara groaned and rolled over, burring her head into her pillow. Why was she like this? Why did she  _always_  do this?

This entire thing was a dream come true. She had finally left her parents behind, she has the chance to see her grandparent’s house and say goodbye to Michelle one more time before heading off to somewhere she had never been before with a man that fate itself had said was her perfect match.

But here she was, having a pity party and wallowing in her own sorrow and insecurities. For the first time in her life, thigs are going good and they were only going to stay that way if she let them.

 

Like a sign from above, the heavenly sent of freshly brewed coffee reached her, calling her out of the bed into the kitchen, where Matthew just so happened to be making breakfast and coffee like the sweetheart he is. With a deep sigh to rid herself of her negative emotions, Mara shuffled over to the breakfast bar and the gentle, soothing smile of her soulmate.

 

Matthew couldn’t help but smile when he saw her sleepy smile as she shuffled towards him. It took him less than a second to see something was wrong. Without a word, he walked over to her and gently pulled her into him, trying to sooth whatever was troubling her. He felt her hesitate for a few moments, then slowly relaxed into him, and loosely wrapped her own arms around him.

 After a few moments he slightly pulled away, his arms still around her. “Are you ok Maple?”

She smiled, a little brighter this time, he noticed. “Yeah, just thinking about stuff. I’m fine.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She shook her head. “Nothing much to talk about, really.” Matthew didn’t really believe her, but let it slide. If she didn’t want to talk about it, he wasn’t going to try and make her. He instead pulled away and changed the subject. “Are you hungry?”  She chuckled and sat down in at the breakfast bar. “Starving. What’s for breakfast?” “Pancakes.” He turned to her from the stove with two large stacks of perfectly cooked pancakes. Mara’s mouth immediately started to water.

“Oh my god, Mattie those look amazing!” He smiled proudly at her enthusiasm and set down the small of the two stacks in front of her. He sat down next to her and pulled out a bottle of syrup and proceeded to drench his pancakes, offering her the now half empty bottle. “Did you want some?” Mara eyed him and the bottle curiously for a moment before grabbing it and pouring a considerable less amount on her own stack.

“I didn’t know syrup came in glass bottles, I’ve only seen the plastic ones.” He snorted in obvious distaste. “That’s because this is  _real_ maple syrup. I uh, I brought my own.”

Mara was about to ask what kind of person carries around their own supply of maple syrup when she took a bite of her own syrup covered pancakes. “Oh my god.” She mumbled out. Now she understood, it made total sense. “This is amazing, Mattie!” She practically swallowed the next bite whole. “I didn’t think syrup could make that much of a difference! And the pancakes are delicious!” She inhaled another bite. “How do you do it?” He laughed when she looked at him with admiration. He knew his pancakes were good, but he had never gotten this reaction before.

“Lots and lots of practice, maple.”

She was too enthusiastic with her next bite and started choking. He pat her hard on the back and she could finally breathe. “Maybe try chewing next time, ok?” He said while holding back laughter.

She gave him a mock glare. “What happened to that cute and shy Mattie I met? He wouldn’t have laughed at me.” She briefly worried he wouldn’t get that she was just teasing him, but relaxed when he rolled his eyes and gave her a teasing glare right back.

“Shy Mattie can make a comeback, but that means no pancakes.” She knew he was just kidding, but that didn’t stop the slight panic. “Ok, you win! Snarky Mattie can stay, just don’t take away the food!”

Their laughs and giggles faded and they just stared at each other, both silently amazed and happy that they got to see another side of each other, a more relaxed side. While the nerves and shy stuttering was cute, it was only when you spent time with someone that you got to see the real them, and that was even more wonderful.

He hadn’t known her that long, but he had never seen her so relaxed, never seen her smile so brightly and that filled him with a warm, fluttering feeling he never wanted to give up.

She never thought those sweet, gentle violet eyes could look so playful, but they glinted with mirth as he teased her back and as he laughed loud and deep, something that was surprising. He seemed more like a soft chuckle kind of guy, but he just kept surprising her and she couldn’t help but it love every bit of it.

He seemed to come to his senses first and looked away, awkwardly clearing his throat ant stood to clear away their now empty plates. “I’ll, uh, I’ll clean up if you wanted to get dressed or whatever.”

Mara smiled as shy Mattie showed himself again. There was so much more to him than she had thought and there was a pretty strong part of her that wanted to get to know every side. The other side still wanted to run and protect herself from any heart break and questioned her sanity for getting so attached to him so quickly, but thankfully that part wasn’t as prominent as it was earlier that morning.

 

After dishes were done and showers were taken, they sat out on the steps leading to the garden, his hand resting on top of hers. Neither of them felt the need to fill the silence with words, they both just sat and enjoyed the sounds and sites of nature all-around of them.

They sat there for a while, simply listening to the quiet music of nature.

Mara tried to allow the beauty around her and the gentle man next to her calm the poisonous thoughts that have been swirling in her head since she woke up. Quieted, but still there.

_How could I let someone in so easily? How could I trust someone when I barely know them? What if things don’t work out, then I’m alone again and heartbroken. What if I end up getting too attached, what if I start_ needing _him?_

The fears were slowly taking over and her heart started pounding.

A gentle pressure on her hand pulled her from being caught up inside her own head and grounded her. She looked down and saw that Mathew had been squeezing her hand to get her attention.

“Maple, are you ok? What’s wrong?”

She was silent a moment, letting his closeness calm her still pounding heart.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just lost in thought. Sorry, were trying to say something?”

He studied her for a while before answering. “Yeah, I was just saying that it looks like the property could use some clean up. I could start on it today in you want.”

Mara took a long look at the part of the property she could see and shook her head.

“It could use some work, but we just got here yesterday. We can take a day to relax before getting to work.”

Before he could offer to go into town or something that would require her to act like she was fine for an extended period, Mara stood, giving his hand a squeeze of her own before releasing it.

“I’m going to take a walk to clear my head. I’ll see you inside in a bit.” She threw him a small smile before walking off into the garden, quickly disappearing amongst the flowers.

 

Mathew stared at her retreating form until he could no longer see it, then sat there a little longer.

Anyone could see that something was wrong, she looked close to panicking just a few moments ago.

He had thought she would have been comfortable opening up to him judging by the day before, but it was clear that she was still having a tough time. Matthew wondered if he should go after her, tell her that she could trust him, he just wanted to be there for her. But he never got up.

He knew that she had more than enough reasons to act the way she does, and things like that don’t just go away with a simple hug and whispered promises. He should just wait. Or…

Would going after her still the better idea?

He finally stood up with a sigh. He knew what he had to do.

He waked into the house and made his way into his room, pulling out his phone and falling back onto the bed.

His finger hovered over the call button. He hasn’t called him in a few months, the longest time in a long time and he knew he was going to pull a guilt trip. He also hasn’t had to call him for relationship advice for a  _really_  long time.

_This is going to be so embarrassing._

With another sigh, he finally taped the button and held the phone to his ear. He didn’t need to figure out the time difference, he knew that once he saw it was him, he would answer. Although there was a part of him that wished he didn’t just so he didn’t have to go through having to ask for help.

Unfortunately, his first assumption was right and the call was answered after only a few rings.

 

“Matthew! Ça fait tellement longtemps qu'on ne s'est pas parlé, j'ai presque cru que tu m'avais oublié!”

(Matthew! it has been so long since we've talked, I almost thought you had forgotten me!)

 

Mathew sighed. Yep, there it goes.

“Salut, Francis. Désolé de ne pas avoir pris de tes nouvelles. Bien qu'on s'est vus la dernière fois à la réunion.” (Hey, Francis. Sorry I haven't called in a while. Although we did see each other at the last meeting.)

 

He heard Francis gasp.

“C'était il y a des semaines! Et Francis, sérieusement? Tu me blesses! Tu as honte de moi?” (That was weeks ago! And Francis? You wound me! Are you embarrassed of me?)

 

Matthew groaned and rolled over, burring his head in the blankets.

“Papa, c'est pas ça! C'est juste que...” (Dad, it's not like that! It's just that...)

 

Matthew trailed off. It was obvious that Francis was too caught up in his little performance to listen to him anyway.

 

“D'abord il ne m'appelle jamais, puis il m'appelle Francis! Mon dieu, qu'ai-je donc fait pour mériter un tel traitement!” (First, he never calls me, then he calls me Francis! God, what did I do to deserve such treatment!)

 

Matthew waited until Francis was done with his theatrics before trying to speak.

“Bon, tu as fini?” (Are you finished dad?)

“Oui. Je te taquine juste, Matthew. Je suis content d'avoir de tes nouvelles. Comment ça va? Tu t'entends bien avec Mara?” (Yes. You know I'm just teasing, Matthew. It's good to hear from you again. How is everything? Are you getting along well with Mara?)

 

Matthew sighed, telling Francis all he needed to know.

“Ah.”

There was a soft rustling sound, presumably Francis was sitting down.

“Dis-moi tout.”  (Tell me all about it.)

 

 Matthew couldn’t help but smile gratefully. Despite what people assumed about him and his dramatic flair, Francis was the best when it came to listening and giving advice.  

 

“I  _thought_  things are ok. She is easy to talk to and she opened up to me yesterday. She’s nice and we even joked around a little this morning, but every so often, I’ll catch her thinking about something and whatever it is, it makes her upset. This morning I asked her if she was ok and she said she was lost in thought and practically ran off.”

Matthew sighed again, suddenly feeling like a teenager talking about his crush.

“And I feel like…not like she is afraid of me, but  _something_ , you know? Like, one minute everything will be normal and the next she looks like she is about to start panicking. She was like this before too, when we were at Al’s place. But she was more distant then. Dad, I had to almost beg her to let me help her walk anywhere when it was obvious she couldn’t do it by herself.”

Francis was quiet on the other end, but Matthew knew he had his full attention.

“I don’t know, what if she doesn’t want a soulmate? She doesn’t really have much of a home to go back to, but that doesn’t mean she wants to pick up and move to another country just because it’s expected. What if she just wants to stay here?”

More silence.

“What if she wants to stay with Al?”

 

“There it is.”

“There’s what?”

“Matthew, I don’t know what she has confided in you about herself, and I won’t ask. That is between the two of you. But whatever it is, she is still trying to deal with it. Even if she wasn’t, you are right. Moving to a new country is a lot to ask of someone, but you need to be patient. Use the time you are there with her to get to know her better. If you are feeling like she is distancing herself, talk to her. You are both adults and should be able to talk like adults. No matter what problems come your way, I am sure you can handle them. You are a very capable man  _and_  country. But under no circumstances are you to think you are somehow less valuable to her than your brother, do you understand me?”

“But dad, Alfred-”

“Is her country, I know, and because of that, she will always be close to him. But you are her  _soulmate_ , Matthew. You will hold a much different place in her heart, not less, but different.”

Matthew sighed, but Francis’s words were already having a calming effect on him.

“Love takes time, much longer than the few days you have known her.”

“You’re right dad.” Matthew said with a sigh.

“Of course I am! Why do you ever doubt me? Honestly Matthew, you are too dramatic sometimes.”

Matthew smiled and shook his head. “Ok, dad. I’ve got to go. I’ll call you soon.”

“You better. How do you think it makes me feel when my own son doesn’t care enough to call me?”

“Bye, dad.”

Matthew hung up before Francis could get started up again.

He stood up, leaving his phone on the bed and made his way outside again. He grew concerned when he didn’t see Mara but kept himself from going to look for her. She probably just needed her space and he should give that to her. Maybe he was rushing things a little by expecting her to suddenly be ok with everything. She  _is_  staying in her grandparent’s place and  _did_  just visit the graves of her grandparents and sister yesterday, so it made sense that she would still be emotional after that.

But he couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that something else was wrong.

He took one last look over the property and sighed when he couldn’t see her. Time. He just needed to give her some time.

 

Mara quickly decided that walking around the place that constantly reminded her of the family she lost wasn’t the best plan for calming herself down. She decided to walk towards the gate and walk along the side of the road. The road was usually empty except for the occasional truck or tractor, so she knew she wouldn’t be in any kind of danger.

It was quiet here. She had forgotten that. Houses were few and far between and she saw smoke coming from a few fields, letting her know it was a burn day and people would be keeping an eye on their fires. She let the thoughts and worries in her head fade away and instead focused on the sounds of the birds chirping and the wind rustling the leaves.

Her Grandma used to take her walks along this road. She said she needed to do  _something_  to stay in shape. As if taking care of 16 acres of wasn’t enough.

A few minutes later, she reached a small bridge. She took her shoes off and walked down the steep muddy trail that led to the creek under it, letting the cool mud squish between her toes.

During the summer, this place would be packed with people trying to escape the heat, but as it was still spring, it was still empty.

She took a tentative step in the water and yanked her foot back out with a small yelp. There was a reason the locals called this place ‘Cold Creek’. She stepped in again and sighed as the cool water ran between her ankles. The water was shallow here this time of year. In a few months it would be waist deep and have a strong current. But right now it flowed along lazily and would only come up to her knees.

Mara rolled up the legs of her jeans and waded into the water, which was cold enough to almost numb her feet.

She and Michelle had spent many a summer day here, laughing and splashing each other while their grandparents watched from the bank.

She had the sudden urge to submerse herself in the water, letting it run over her head and hopefully numb the pain and take the memories with the current. As she didn’t have a change of clothes or a towel, she resisted the urge and walked upstream to a part of the bank that was more sand than mud.

As she rounded the bend, she saw that the spot was occupied. Laying on the bank was a woman who looked to be twenty-something and had her shoes kicked off and was wearing a flowy peasant skirt and a loose tank top, ruling out the possibility that she was tanning. Mara was about to turn around and find somewhere else when the woman sat up and waved her over. “It’s fine, I don’t mind company!” She called out in a voice that had a slight southern twang to it. Mara hesitated before wading over to her.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” The woman sat up, her thick curly hair twisted in a large bun on top of her head. “Don’t worry about it, Like I said, I don’t mind company.” She pat the patch of sand beside her and laid back down. Mara smiled despite her nervousness and sat down, watching the creak for a while.

“So what brings you out to this little oasis? We don’t see many visitors out here. Most of the ones that do come stay in town. You got family out here?”

Mara nodded, then remembered she probably couldn’t see her. “I’m staying just up the road for a few days.” The woman sat up and looked over at her. “The old Romero place?” Mara nodded again.

“Hmm, I didn’t know they sold it.” She stuck her hand out. “I’m Sadie. I live a few houses down.” Mara shook her hand. “Mara. And they didn’t sell it. I’m their granddaughter.”

“Oh! You’re  _that_  Mara! It’s about time I met you! I knew your Grandma for years!”

“What? You did?” “Yeah! I used to head over to her place after school when my Mom was out of town and she’d let me help her with the garden and let me paint with her.”

Mara was shocked. Her Grandma never mentioned looking after anyone. “I-I had no idea.”

“Yeah, she talked about y’all a lot though. I was usually traveling with my mom during the summer, so I never got to meet you guys.” Suddenly, it looked like Sadie remembered something. “Oh, I’m sorry about your sister, I forgot. I am so sorry I brought her up like that.” Mara smiled sadly. “It’s fine.”

“No, it was insensitive of me.” Sadie reached over and put her hand on her shoulder. “I know it’s a few years too late, but I’m sorry for your loss. Mrs. Sigrid loved to talk about the both of you and while I never got to meet her, Michelle sounded like a sweet girl.” “She was. She was the best.”

Noticing Mara’s souring mood, Sadie tried to change the subject.

“So, you decided to finally visit the old place?” “Yeah, I haven’t been able to before, but I’ve been wanting to come out here for a while.” 

“How long you are planning on staying?” “Not long. Just about a week probably.” Sadie nodded and laid back down. “You been in town yet?”  “We drove through it yesterday.”

Sadie lifted up her sunglasses and grinned. “We?” Mara couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I. uh, I brought my boyfriend.” “You don’t sound too sure about that.” Mara laid down next to her and sighed. “Well, it’s kind of complicated. We met not that long ago and it’s clear we like each other, but… I don’t know.” Sadie sighed. “Yeah, boyfriends are hard. I mean, you gotta feed them, walk them, and don’t even get me started on the maintenance!” Mara laughed. She was surprised she was getting along with her so quickly, but she had a friendly aura around her, like she could just walk into a room and make friends with the first person she saw. Michelle was like that.

“You ok?” Mara blinked and looked over. “Huh?” “You kinda checked out there for a minute.”

“Oh, sorry. Just lost in thought.” “Mhm.” Sadie sounded disbelieving. “What?” Mara asked defensively.

“Look, I know we just met and it’s probably none of my business, but I know when some one is upset, and you ma’am, were upset.” 

“Was it that obvious?” “Oh, just a lick.” (for non-southerners, lick means little)

Mara sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just not good with talking to people.” Sadie shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I mean, we don’t really know each other, do we?” Mara smiled and relaxed. “Yeah, that’s true.”

“I just hope you are able to talk to your boyfriend-not boyfriend. Everyone needs someone to talk to.”

Mara sat there, a little ashamed. She should be talking with Matthew. It would make sense, right? So why is it so hard?

 

Sadie sighed and stood up, brushing off the sand. “Well, it was good meeting you. If you ever want to talk or hang out, you know where to find me.”

Mara waved her off and watched her wade back down the creek.

She moved up to the edge and lay her legs in the water and thought about what Sadie had said.

Talking about it  _would_ help, she figured. Besides, he already knew about the worst of it, the rest wasn’t all that bad, all things considered. What was she so afraid of anyway? He is a freaking  _country_ , chances are that he has seen worse things than bad parents. Sure, there was the chance of him leaving her…

Oh, that was it.

Why did that scare her so much? She was doing  _fine_  before she met him, it’s not like she  _needed_ him.

 

_So what? What was it that Al said while we were at the mall? It’s not about need, it’s about want. So what if I don’t need him? Is it so bad to want something?_

 

She didn’t have an answer to that but she  _did_ know that she would never know if things would work out if she didn’t try.

With a new-found determination in her heart, Mara stood and made her way back to the bridge.

 

 

Matthew was beside himself with worry. He had gone out to look for Mara a few minutes ago and he couldn’t find her. She had been gone for an hour and a half now and he had found her phone on the table, so he had no way of contacting her. This seemed like a nice enough town, but there were bad people everywhere, some one could have attacked her again. Even if no one did, what if she got hurt? Yao had never given her a clean bill of health, what if she ended up making things worse? God, why did he let her go off on her own?! Flashes of seeing her unconscious body that night all those weeks ago flashed through his mind. So what if she needed her space, that wasn’t as important as making sure she was ok!

 

Suddenly, the front door opened and in came Mara, pants rolled up, shoes in hand and sand in her hair. Matthew rushed towards her and pulled her in his arms, practically crushing her. Mara was surprised at the almost tackle. She would have expected this from Alfred, he would often forget that he had superhuman strength, but Matthew? “Um, hey, it’s good to see you too?” She said while awkwardly patting his back. “Where were you?!” Suddenly, he sounded angry, he pulled back and gripped her arms tight, almost glaring down at her. Immediately, Mara’s defenses went up.

“I was out, I told you I was going for a walk.” “You didn’t bring your phone.”

“I just forgot it, I don’t usually carry it with me everywhere.” His voice rose until he was shouting at her.

“Why not? How the hell am I supposed to know your ok if I can’t call you?!”

“I can take care of myself!” Mara was in full defense mode, not bothering to stop and consider why the normally soft-spoken man was so upset.

“I know, but god damn it Mara! Did you forget what happened three weeks ago?” “How fucking dare you! Of course, I remember, I’m the one who went through it!”

Matthew felt a twinge of guilt. He knew this wasn’t the best way to talk things out with her, hut he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

“You’re not better yet! You could have gotten hut! You were gone for over an hour while you’re still recovering, you didn’t tell me where you were going AND you didn’t bring your phone with you! Do you have any idea how scared I was?” He had shouted all but the last part, worry written allover his face.

Finally, it started to come to gather for Mara. “You were…worried?” Matthew didn’t know whether to be confused or upset that she sounded surprised. “Of course I was! If anything were to happen to you…” He couldn’t finish the sentence, the memory of that night flashing through his mind again.

Mara didn’t know how to react. She had never considered that Matthew would have been worried.

“I’m sorry, Mattie, I didn’t know.” He let out a breath and pulled her close again, softer this time.

“I just want you to be ok Maple.” 

“I’m ok, I promise.” His arms tightened around her.

“I’m sorry, Mattie. I just didn’t think about it. I’m not used to people wanting to check up on me.”

He chuckled, suddenly feeling a rush of relief that she was ok. She was in his arms and she was fine.

“Never been in a relationship before, have you?”

“No, never. The only relationship I’ve been in was high school and that was only for a month.”

 

The conversation could have been left there. She didn’t need to provide any other information because her lack of relationship experience would have explained everything. But the words Sadie told her ran through her head again. She knew that if she didn’t force herself to tell him, she never would. There would never be a ‘perfect’ time.

_This is ridiculous, he already knows the worst of it. Now I’m just being childish._

 

“My um, my parents never really cared either.”

Matthew heard the nervousness in her voice and stilled.  _Is this it?_

“What do you mean?”

He started to pull back, intending for them to sit on the couch and talk, but Mara clung to him the minute he let go. “Um, can we just stay like this? I think it’ll make it easier.”

Matthew immediately wrapped his arms around her again.

Mara took in the comfort of  _him_ , his warmth, allowing the way his tall and surprisingly wide frame surrounded her and the faint smell of woods and something sweet calm her nerves.

 “My parents didn’t care what I did, as long as I brought home money. They’re alcoholics and gambling addicts and couldn’t hold down a steady job, so they relied a lot on me and Michelle to pay the bills and supply them with the money for their vices. When Michelle… When she was alive, I didn’t really go anywhere so she never had to worry about me. After she…left, there wasn’t anyone left to worry, so I’ve never had to deal with anyone concerned with my safety.”

“Is that why you’ve been upset?” Mara nodded into his shirt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you noticed that.” Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle. “It was kind of hard  _not_  to notice maple.” “And here I thought I was good at that stuff.” Matthew smiled and rested his cheek on the top of her head. “Guess I’m just better at noticing stuff.”

“Why couldn’t you have just talked to me about it?”

Mara hesitated, did she really want to unload  _everything_? All her insecurities and fears?

_No_ ,  _but I have to._

“Everyone I have ever loved has left me. I was worried…” She sighed. “I was  _afraid_  you would to. I don’t want to get attached to you just so you could leave. I can do fine on my own, but…”

“You’re tired of being alone.” He finished for her. His heart broke for her. This entire time she had been scared he was going to abandon her.

“Oh, maple. You have nothing to be afraid of. We haven’t been together for long, and to be honest, I’m not even sure what to call us, but I do know that I haven’t found you after hundreds of years of being alone just to let you go.” He leaned back and cradled her face in his palms. “I’m not going anywhere maple. I promise.” 

“How can you be so sure?”

He smiled and placed his forehead on hers.

“You’re not the only one who’s gotten attached.”

“Really?” She couldn’t hide the happiness from her voice. This whole time she had convinced herself that she was the only one dealing with these feelings, that he was just being nice because that’s who he was, not because he actually had any feelings for her.

“Of course, you think just anyone could get me so worked up like that?”

She laughed softly. “No, I guess not.”

He stepped back but kept his hands on her shoulders.

“Don’t worry, we can still take things slow. For now, I kind of like getting to know you.” Mara smiled.  _How did I get so lucky?_

“I like getting to know you too.”

She giggled as his cheeks supported a light blush. “I’m uh, I’m sorry for freaking out before. I know you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, I just got so worried and I let my fears get the best of me. I promise I don’t usually have a temper like that.” Mara smiled and shook her head. “It’s ok, I’ll try and take your feelings into account next time. I’ll just have to get used to carrying a phone around with me from now on.”

 

Now that they were both calmed down, he finally looked at her, noticing the sand in her hair and her bare feet.

“Where did you go anyway?”

“There’s a creek just down the road that I used to play in when I was a kid. The water is cold and not too deep.”

“Is it far?” “Nope, maybe a fifteen-minute walk. You wanna check it out?”

He smiled. “You feel like going back?” She shrugged. “Why not? It’s not like we have anything else to do today anyway.”

 

They ended up spending hours at the creek, talking and taking turns splashing each other when the other wasn’t looking. She was grateful that he remembered sunscreen because the cloudless sky would have resulted in lobster-like sunburns.

She was glad to see more of his playful side. She could tell from the beginning he was an introvert like she was, and she knew that him playing around with her and lightly teasing her meant he was getting comfortable with her. Knowing that gave her a giddy feeling that chased away her self-deprecating thoughts and kept her happy all day.

They walked back holding hands and shoes, taking in the moment in silence, blushing as they took turns glancing at each other. Neither of them could believe their luck.

 

That night, after a dinner they cooked together, they lay awake in their beds, unable to sleep because they were thinking of each other.

Eventually, Mara’s eyes began to close, and she drifted off to sleep, smiling and full of hope.

 

Unaware of what was waiting for her in her dreams. 


	45. France's Route Chapter 3

  No matter the hundreds of times he has had to travel, it was always disorienting to wake up in a bed that wasn’t his. And no matter what people said about him, he didn’t often find himself in the beds of strangers. As he drifted into consciousness, he started to realize  _something_  was different, but he was still too groggy from sleep to pay it any mind. His hands ran over the sheets. Linen instead of satin. He turned over.  _He didn’t have feather pillows_. His eyes slowly blinked open, his growing confusion pushing out the remaining sleep. As his vision came into focus, his lips lifted in a sleepy smile.

_Mara._

 

He didn’t think it would have been possible, but she was even more beautiful when she was asleep. Her dark hair spread out over the pillows and white sheets, long dark lashes resting on top pale cheeks, and her soft pink lips, resting in the tiniest of smiles as she slept. He could be considered a very lucky man, even if all he went off of was looks alone. But no, there was  _so much_  more to her than that.

He hadn’t known her for long and hadn’t spent much time talking to her until a few days ago, but he felt like he had known her for years. There was something about her that was almost familiar, made him feel instantly comfortable around her.

 

Conversation flowed easily and naturally between them. They talked about everything they could think of. He knew she had always been on the quiet side, but that whenever she came here to visit, she became something of a wild child, playing in the water and splashing in the mud, running around barefoot and dancing in the rain. He knew she loved to read, and that she had been embarrassed to admit she even enjoyed romance novels. He knew she had been easily influenced by her sister and had a habit of following her around when they were young.

He also knew she never had any friends growing up and had never allowed herself to get close to her coworkers as an adult. He knew she had a tough time trusting people. He knew that despite the fact they had never really loved her, she was worried her parents wouldn’t be able to take care of themselves.

He gently brushed some of fallen strands of hair from her face. How could someone like her still be so caring and kind, even after all she had been through?

 

He had been there that night. He had seen those disgusting excuses for men corner her and hit her again and again. He had watched her free herself and fight back. Even then, her strength had taken his breath away, even after she had collapsed from exhaustion.

She was strong. She was independent and had no trouble taking care of herself. But despite that, he could see that she had a gentle soul. She had been neglected by her parents her entire life, but she  _still_ managed to care enough to worry about them.

He felt like he knew her so well already, but he got the feeling he hadn’t even scratched the surface when it came to her and he couldn’t wait to find out more.

Who was she when she wasn’t fending for herself? When she wasn’t grief stricken and hurt? More importantly, who would she become when she was given the freedom to be herself?

Would she be affectionate? Would she greet him with a smile and a kiss when they saw each other after a long day? Would she like his country? Would she make his home her own? He had designed and decorated all his homes himself, but he didn’t think he’d mind if she added her own touches.

 

He was pulled from his idle thoughts as she moved closer to him, her face now hidden from view as she rested on his chest. His arms tightened around her with a sigh.

Yes, he was a lucky man indeed.

 

Mara was caught somewhere between sleep and awake, floating comfortably and happily. She couldn’t remember ever being so at peace, and she couldn’t bring herself to wonder what had made her so happy. She just wanted to lay there and bask the moment. She was aware someone was next to her, she felt the gentle brush of fingertips on her cheek. It didn’t alarm her. Whoever it was, was  _supposed_ to be there. She moved closer to them, resting her head on a firm, but comfortable chest. She smiled as she felt arms tighten around her.

It wasn’t until soft lips pressed feather like kisses to her temple that she was pulled fully from her sleep. A little bubble of happiness welled up inside her as she heard whispered words in French in between kisses.

_Francis_.

It all came back to her.

The roses and his heart-melting smile. Silk hair and long talks. His warm eyes and infectious laugh.

The touching way he greeted her family as if they had actually been there instead of headstones.

His arms holding her tight to him as she sobbed. The pride in his eyes as she tasted his food and he told her more about his home.

Had it all really happened? It seemed too good to be true, that  _she_  was paired up with  _Francis_  by nothing other than fate itself. Or so Arthur says. But at this point, was there any reason to doubt him?

As her mind cleared away the cobwebs, little details started to come back to her. Like how she had poured her soul to him just an hour or so after they left Alfred’s. Even now, she didn’t know what had compelled her to do that. She had  _always_  been a private person. Telling a near stranger her most buried feelings and painful memories was something she had  _never_  even  _considered_ doing before. But she did.

She couldn’t bring herself to regret it though. Francis had taken everything in stride, listening without judgment or pity. Her entire life, she had almost been ashamed of her emotions, telling herself that others had it much worse than she did, so who did she think  _she_  was to complain? She should just suck it up and deal with it. But Francis made her emotions feel valid. Like it was ok for her to be upset. It was ok to feel hurt.

Francis truly was an amazing person. How he had managed to continue being the ‘Country of Love’ after everything he had gone through was amazing. Well, she only knew what he told her and what little she could remember learning from her history classes.

She still couldn’t really understand the rivalry between him and Arthur though. You would think that nearly immortal beings centuries old would be mature enough too put their differences aside, but that didn’t seem to be the case.  _I guess some people just don’t get along, no matter how old they are._

“I know you are awake mon amour.” She could tell he was smiling by the amused tone to his voice. She suddenly realized she had been idly tracing imaginary designs on his chest while she had been thinking.

She blushed and hid her face even more, making his chest rumble as he laughed.

“Tu es si mignonne quand tu es gênée.” (you are so cute when you’re embarrassed)   Mara moved her head off his chest and back onto her pillow so she could look at him. “I don’t know what you just said.” He smiled apologetically. “You will have to learn French you know.” Mara groaned. “I know.” Francis frowned. “You don’t want to?”

“No, I do.” She quickly reassured him. “It’s just that learning a new language is a little daunting.”

“Well, you have nothing to worry about.” He reassured with a smile. “Who better to learn French from than France himself?” he said with a prideful lilt to his voice, letting her know he was not so subtly bragging.

“God, that’s so weird to think about.”  “Hmm?” She rolled over on her side and propped up her head with her hand. “That you’re a country. I mean, magic and soulmates are one thing, that’s strange, but once I saw the proof it was easy to accept. But  _living countries_ , that’s just…” He rolled over to face her. “I can imagine it is something that would be hard to accept.” She laughed. “Yeah, no kidding. It’s not that I don’t believe it, because I do, its just hard to wrap my head around, you know?”

He nodded. “I do, surprisingly. We all must come to terms with it when we are young. It has been so long for me that it is hard to remember, but I do remember being confused for a decade or so.”

She was silent for a while, thoughts of her own impending immortality looming over her. “What’s it like?” “What?” “Living so long. Being immortal. I’m trying, but I just can’t imagine it. I know that soon  _I’ll_  be immortal, and the idea of living for  _centuries_  is just… crazy.”

He held her free hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“It will be an adjustment, but I promise you I’ll be there for you every step of the way.” His smile turned from reassuring to teasing. “Although you make it sound like you are already falling in love with me.” Mara blushed again and swatted his arm, remembering the ruled Arthur had pounded in her head. Her life would only be bound to his once they fell in love and kissed. “Hush, you.” He laughed and sat up, groaning as his back popped when he stretched. “Time to get up mon amour. Breakfast time.”  She stood and realized she had fallen asleep in her clothes yesterday. “I’m going to take a quick shower first.” She said with a grimace, suddenly feeling icky and grimy He nodded and padded over to the kitchen to start breakfast.

 

She stood under the steady stream of water, letting the hot water wash away yesterday’s makeup and the impending thoughts and insecurities she had been expecting. She just couldn’t let herself be happy, could she?

_Oh, come on. Do you really think someone like Francis would have even taken a second glance if he wasn’t forced to? The only reason he’s around is because we are supposed to be soulmates. He is the literal personification of FRANCE. He has been around for centuries and had seen more beautiful women then me. Whatever feelings he has is only because we were practically forced together. Hell, I don’t even know if he even_ wants _this whole soulmate shit. He could just be going along with it to be nice or because he feels like he has to._

Mara turned off the hot water and blasted her face with ice cold water to shake off those thoughts before they could get worse. She really needed to stop doing this to herself. It wasn’t fair to either of them. It wasn’t fair to her because she always got in the way of her own happiness and it wasn’t fair to Francis because she was writing off his feelings and putting him in a box to fit her own fucked up view of the world.

She stepped out of the shower and toweled off, putting on loose black cotton pants and a green tank top before walking to the kitchen.

Seeing Francis sitting at the breakfast bar idly munching on a bread roll with a cup of coffee in front of him lifted her spirits a little. When he turned and smiled at her, gesturing for her to take the seat next to him, all of her negative thoughts flew out the window. When she sat, he greeted her with a kiss to her cheek that had her smiling like a fool.

_What is he doing to me?_  She wondered as she munched on a grape from the small bowl of fruit Francis put together.  _At this rate, I’ll end up being an optimist._

They ate the small breakfast in comfortable silence, only breaking it once they finished. Francis sighed and reached over to hold her hand. Mara laughed lightly at his drowsy face. “Not a morning person?” He smiled and shook his head. “It takes me a while to wake up.” He took one last sip of coffee. “And I don’t think the jet lag is helping.” “No, probably not.” She stood and took the dishes to the sink. “So, what did you want to do today?”

Mara had to laugh a little.  _God, this is so domestic._

She shrugged. “Not sure. I’m sure there is plenty to do around the property, but I was just planning on chilling out today.” He nodded his approval. “That is good. From what I understand, Yao hasn’t said that you are fully recovered yet.” Mara rolled her eyes. “I feel fine.” He walked over to her lightly held her arms. “Still it doesn’t hurt to be careful. At least try. For me?”  _Oh, that is so not fair._  He looked at her, concerned and pleading. It was impossible to say no. “Fine.” She said with a sigh. He smiled and gave her forehead a quick kiss. “Thank you, mon amour. Now, you think about what you want to do today while I get ready.” He parted with another kiss, leaving her in the kitchen with her thoughts.

She tried to think of the things they could do in town, but for the life of her, she just couldn’t focus.

Her thoughts kept circling back to him.

_What in the hell is he doing to me?_

She had a feeling that wouldn’t be the last time she asked herself that question.

He was just so… him. There wasn’t really a single additive that would do him justice.

He was gorgeous, charming, and kind. His stories had captivated her, and he was…funny?

He had made her laugh on more than one occasion, but some of his jokes were lost in translation, leaving him laughing and her trying to figure out what was so funny.

But beyond all that, she felt safe with him, but it had nothing to do with his ability to protect her. He provided  _emotional_  stability. He encouraged her to talk, and he listened patiently. It was making being in this house easier than she thought it would be. She knew that on her own, she would be a mess. The things left behind by her grandparents would have her caught in a vicious cycle of memories and tears.

But when she cried the day before, he held her and told her that it was going to be alright. That he was there, and it was ok to cry. And she realized it  _would_  be ok. It wasn’t right now, she still had a lot of things to work on and deal with, but it  _would_ be. One day.

She laughed to herself.  _Well, would you look at that? Turns out I can be an optimist after all._

All the thoughts of him were stirring something inside her, something new and  _good_.

She knew she liked him almost immediately, but now the word  _like_  didn’t seem strong enough.

But she didn’t think she could call it love yet. She had never believed in love at first sight, and not even the most charming of Frenchman was going to change her mind. For her, love took time and was earned. But since Francis  _was_  the most charming Frenchman, she had no trouble accepting that one day she  _would_  fall in love with him. They just needed more time together.

The sound of the bathroom door opening pulled her from her thoughts and she scrambled to think of something for them to do before he got back to the kitchen.

“So will we be doing today?”  He sat next to her, his hand slipping easily into hers.

Her mind went blank as she looked at him. Hair damp and finger combed back, white shirt unbuttoned a little, just enough to see a light dusting of blond chest hair, the only word she could think of was  _sexy_. Which was odd. She had never found anyone sexy before. Mildly attractive, sure. But never sexy.

He chuckled and poked her forehead. “Focus, mon amour.” He said teasingly as if he knew  _exactly_  what she was thinking. Mara blushed and shook her head. “Um, well there are a few things we could do in town. There is a small park we could walk around in. There’s also the bookstore. It’s small, but they’ve got a pretty good selection. At least from what I remember. They got a few places for lunch too. I’m not too sure what’s still around, but there’s a seafood place that’s pretty good. Oh! We should definitely go to the Flea market while we're here.” She thought a bit more. “That’s about it, really. It’s a small town, so there’s not much to do. There’s a creek not to far from here, but the water will be freezing this time of year.”

He considered their options for a while before smiling. “Going into town sounds perfect.”

“Great, I’ll go get ready”

 

A little over an hour later, they were walking hand in hand, weaving between stalls and people, and stopping to look at things on display on old wooden tables. The Flea market was one of her favorite places to go when she was a kid. Even after being away for ten years, things were almost exactly the same. The only real change was that the people running the stands were either older or replaced by younger relatives.

Like every other town, there were different places people congregated. There was the park that was usually full of mothers hoping their young children would just hurry up and tire themselves out. Men were always seen at sporting goods stores, huddled around fishing equipment and hunting supplies. The elderly gathered at restaurants to gossip and reminisce. Teens frequented the clothing stores and young couples could always be seen at the theater and the ice cream shop. But the Flea market was the one place everyone gathered together. When she was younger, she watched people grin and great each other as if they hadn’t seen each other in years, when it had probably only been a few days. Even if no one paid her much attention, just being in that environment always made her feel like she belonged. As if she was one of them.

Now that she was older, it was different. She wasn’t sure if it was because she had been away for so long, or if it was simply all in her head, but she couldn’t help but feel like an outsider.

Or maybe it was all the women who subtly and some not so subtly stared and admired Francis as soon as they arrived.

To be fair, he was a  _very_ attractive man, so she couldn’t really blame them for noticing him. But it was almost like they didn’t even realize she was there beside him. To his credit, Francis kept his hand in hers, smiling politely at the ones who made their ogling a little too obvious. Not once did he flirt back or encourage their behavior. Which once again went against everything Arthur and Alfred had said about him.  _Did they even know him?_  Mara frowned at the thought. They had known him for centuries, Alfred even went so far as to consider him like an older brother, but to her it seemed like neither of them took the time to get to know him.  _Or maybe I’m the naïve one. What are the chances that I know him better after meeting him a few days ago then the people who have known him longer then I’ve been alive?_

She heard an excited gasp and felt a tug at her hand. She looked over and saw Francis staring excitedly at a booth selling various pieces of art. “Aren’t they beautiful?” He asked as he made his way over, pulling her with him. Mara had to laugh at his obvious excitement.

The woman running the booth looked to be around Mara’s age. Her thick curly auburn hair was in a bun on top of her head and she had a light dusting of freckles across her nose.

Mara could see why Francis wanted to check this booth out, it was covered with beautiful pieces. It had small bowls, paintings, and clay figurines, all with beautiful and intricate painted details. There were even some knitted and crocheted items. The woman smiled and stood from her weathered lawn chair as they approached. Like the other women, she looked Francis over approvingly. But unlike the others, she noticed Mara and her flirtatious smile turned to a friendly one. “Hey y’all! How y’all doing today?”

Francis returned the friendly smile. “Very well. I couldn’t help but notice your stand. These pieces are very beautiful!” The woman grinned proudly. “Well thank you! A whole lot of work went into making them, that’s for sure.”  Mara’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You made them?” “Not all of them. My mom did most of the paintings and she helped me paint everything else.” “Still, it is impressive,” Francis said, looking over a painting of a woman standing on a cliff overlooking the sea. Mara didn’t usually ‘get’ art, but she liked this one. The woman in the painting was smiling, her eyes closed, and face turned towards the sun.  “That’s one of mine. I painted it a few years ago, but I haven’t been able to part with it until recently.” Francis nodded. “Yes, it is easy to get attached to your own work.”  “Yeah.” The woman said wistfully. “This one is special though.” Mara caught the sad, longing look on the woman’s face.

Mara studied the woman in the painting carefully. “It’s weird. She looked strangely familiar.”  “I was just about to say the same thing about you, but I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. You new in town?” Mara nodded. “Kind of. I used to come here as a kid to visit my Grandparents before they passed.” The woman gasped. “Oh my god, you’re Mrs. Sigrid’s grandkid!” Mara was speechless for a moment. “You knew her?” “Yeah! I’m Sadie, your grandma used to look after me when my Mom was out of town.” Mara’s eyes snapped back to the painting. “That’s her. That’s my grandma, but younger!” Sadie nodded. “Yeah. She was like my mentor. She used to let me paint with her after school. She was the best.” Mara nodded. “She was.” Francis wrapped his arm around her waist, offering her much-appreciated comfort.

“Did you come back to move into the old place?” “No, just visiting for a while.”  Sadie stared at the painting for a while before she held it out to them. “Here. Take it.” Mara shook her head. “No, I couldn’t. It’s beautiful, you obviously worked hard on it and you said it was special to you.” “Its fine, really.” “At least let us pay for it,” Francis interjected, already reaching for his wallet. “No, please. It’s ok. I ain’t religious much, but the fact I was only able to let go of it when you came back into town has got to mean something. Like fate, if you believe in that stuff.” Mara glanced up at Francis, who was already looking down at her with a wistful smile. “Yeah, I do.”

Mara found herself lost inside her own head as they made their way to the bookstore, new painting safely stored in the backseat.

She just couldn’t believe her Grandma never mentioned Sadie. It made sense that they were able to get along, Sadie seemed like someone her Grandma would like.

But it was odd that she had never mentioned her. As far as she knew, the only thing her grandparents did differently when she and Michelle weren’t over was hanging out with friends more.

_Why wouldn’t she mention her?_

 

A light squeeze to her hand had Mara shaking herself from her thoughts. She looked over to find Francis looking a little concerned. “Are you alright?” “Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just got lost in thought for a minute.”

“What were you thinking about?” Mara smiled and waved off his concern. “Nothing important.” She looked out the window and saw that they were parked outside the bookstore. “Oh! Perfect!” She hopped out and rushed inside, leaving Francis to follow her, her excitement over books easing whatever worry he had and making him smile. If it was something important, he trusted that she would tell him.

 

Mara took a deep breath as soon as she stepped inside. A good bookstore had one of two distinct smells; Old book smell or New book smell. This one had an old book smell. She released her breath in a rush, walking towards the shelves.

 

Francis stopped to watched her with amused fascination. She seemed to be walking aimlessly, her fingers reaching out to brush over book spines as she passed them, a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes he hadn’t seen before. She would occasionally pick up a book and smile as if seeing an old friend, sometimes laughing softly to herself and even bringing the book to her face and smelling the pages.

 Once she reached the part of the store that held fiction, she began the long and arduous task of picking a book. She read title after title, picking up the ones that grabbed her attention and reading the synopsis, then either putting it back or holding on to it for later. The world around her quickly faded away as she got lost in the walls of books.

 

After a few minutes of his own wandering, Francis chose a random book from a shelf and settled himself in a chair near where Mara was hovering for the time being. He looked down at the book he chose and scoffed. It was a history book, an American history book at that. He went to go put it back when the titles close by caught his eye. At least a dozen books on American history, and a dozen more about wars and battles. He looked and only managed to find a single book in the history section  _not_  about America. It was a single book briefly going over world history.

_So that’s where his ego comes from._  He thought with an amused half smile and a shake of his head.

He ended up with a book about modern art and returned to the cushioned chair and started reading.

Or at least, he tried to. He never got more than a few sentences in before his eyes would wander up to search for Mara. A chuckle escaped him as he watched the pile of books in her arms steadily get larger every time he looked up. At this rate, she was going to want to buy half the store.

 

It was during one of his glances that something else caught his eye, or more accurately, some _one_.

A woman, blond and petit with a walk so exaggerated her hips looked double jointed. She worked at the store, he figured, judging by the polo shirt and khaki pants that looked painted on.

Although Francis was known as a notorious flirt, able to spot an attractive woman or man within a few kilometers, his eyes had been solely fixed on Mara. The only reason he spotted this other woman was because she was making a beeline for him. As the woman got closer, he glued his eyes to his book.

It wasn’t until she stopped in front of him that he looked up to acknowledge her. “Hey there, I’m sorry for interrupting you, but I just couldn’t help but notice that I haven’t seen you here before. This being a small town and all, I’m assuming you’re not from around here?”

Francis smiled politely and shook his head. He didn’t want to be rude, and normally he would welcome a little casual flirting, but he didn’t want Mara to look over and get the wrong idea. The last thing their newly budding romance needed was a misunderstanding. “No, I am not.”

At the sound of his heavy French accent, the girl practically swooned. “Well I’d say. Not with that accent you’re not.”  She leaned her hip on the small table next to him. “So where you from? No, wait! Let me guess.” She placed a manicured finger to her lips and made a show of trying to think. “French, right?”

He nodded with a smile, this one a little strained as he noticed he couldn’t see Mara anymore. “That is correct.” The woman giggled. “So what’s got a good lookin’ French man like you hanging out in our neck of the woods?”

Francis smiled again, a real one this time. “Ma petite amie has a house out here. She wanted to visit before we go home.” The woman’s smile faltered. “What’s that mean, your friend?” She asked hopefully. Francis shook his head. “Ahh. Well, thanks for havin’ the decency to tell me. I would hate to become the ‘other woman’. Now that I have embarrassed myself, I’m gonna go get back to work. See ya around!” The woman walked off with a wave and a much more normal walk than before.

His eyes immediately scanned the room to look for Mara. When he couldn’t see her, he tried to shrug it off and return to his book. He had never been one of those men who had to know where their significant other was at all times. He had never been overly jealous or protective. But for the life of him, he just couldn’t help but worry. She could be hurt for all he knew! With a resigned sigh, he placed his book on the table and started his search for Mara.

Mara was sitting behind a bookshelf a few feet away from where Francis had been sitting. Definitely not hiding. She had been much more aware of his presence than he realized. The fact he had chosen a spot close to her gave her that giggly feeling again. It was not a feeling she had ever been used to, but now that she was with Francis, it was becoming a habit.

She looked up from her books to see him smiling and talking to some woman. Mara immediately looked away, as if looking at them would make them aware of her presence. She glanced up. She was pretty.

Glanced up again. And was flirting with him.

Glance. He was still smiling.

When she saw his eyes leave the other woman and look around, Mara ducked behind a bookshelf and folded her legs, her head falling back against a shelf with a soft  _thunk_. The giggly feelings left her in a rush as all her insecurities from that morning crept their way back into her mind. The inner voices telling her she should have expected this, how could she have thought it would have turned out any different. She had never been good enough for him. How stupid she was for thinking she would ever be enough.

“Mara?” She looked up at the hushed and worried voice. Francis was standing over her, clearly concerned. It was then Mara realized she had been gripping her upper arms so tight they were starting to hurt. She rubbed them and looked down at her lap. Francis sighed and sat down across from her.

“You saw, didn’t you?” Mara nodded.

“Mon amour, look at me.” She did so reluctantly. He looked earnest and pleading.

“She came up to me, and I let her know that my heart was already taken, and she left.”

“That’s all?” He nodded and moved closer to her. “That is all. I promise.”

Mara sighed and let her head fall back again. “I’m sorry. I was acting childish.” She laughed humorlessly.

“I didn’t think I’d be the jealous type.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Do not worry about it.”

His smile fell and his expression turned serious. “Jealousy stems from insecurity.” He reached out and held her hands. “Now what are you insecure about?”

Mara gave a short bitter laugh. “Oh god, where do I begin?”  She sighed and thought about the question. It wasn’t lack of material, she had an uncanny ability to find things about herself to nitpick.

_When did this start up again? I thought I was past all of this._

“Talk to me ma chère.”

“I guess it just boils down to an overall feeling of not feeling like I’m enough. I thought I was past all of that, I was insecure all throughout school, but once I graduated, I told myself that what people thought of me didn’t matter and for a while, that worked. But now, all I can think of is everything that’s wrong with me.”

“Do you care what people think of you?”

Mara looked at him with an embarrassed smile. “I care what you think of me.”

Francis smiled. She had faced hardships and triumphed over her troubles, but somehow she could still be absolutely  _adorable_.

“Well, let me tell you what I think.” He grabbed her hands and laid a kiss on one of her fingers. “You are beautiful.”

 Another kiss.

 “and kind.”

Kiss

“and smart”

Kiss

“and funny”

Kiss

“and wonderful”

A kiss on the back of her hand.

“and perfect for me in every way.”

 

He looked into her eyes and was happy to see her smiling, but could still see some doubt there. He decided to take it one step further, even if it was a bit much.

“As long as you want me, I will be faithful to you. My eyes will look at you and only you.”

It was quiet for a moment before Mara started laughing. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, that was really sweet. But also super cheesy.” “Extremely.” He laughed. “But,” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “It worked, did it not?”

Mara smiled and leaned into his touch. “Yeah, it did.”

He stood and helped her to her feet. “Now, how about we get some lunch. That seafood place you mentioned is close by,  correct?” “Yep, just down the road. Let me just put these back.” “You don’t want them?” Mara looked at her pile of books longingly. “I do, but I just realized that at the moment, I don’t have a penny to my name, so there is no way I can afford them.”  “Well, then I will get them for you of course.” He took her books and made his way to the register. “Wait!” She had to jog to catch up. “You don’t have to do this, Francis. I’ll be fine without them.” He gave the cashier a smile and placed the books on the counter. “But you want them, and I have the money to buy them. Why wouldn’t I get them for you?” Mara sighed. “Ok, fine, but keep the receipt so I can pay you back later.” Francis scoffed.

“There is no need! Everything I have is yours, it would be like paying yourself back!” Mara was shocked into silence.  _Everything he has is mine? I know we are soulmates, but we have only been together for a few days, what if this whole thing doesn’t work out?_ She looked up at him. He seemed so confident about everything, about  _them_.   _Waite a minute…_

“What about if I decide I want to work when we get to your place?”

The cashier put the books in a bag and Francis led her towards the door.

“It will be difficult. You will need to learn how to speak and write French first. Then there is the task of getting you the appropriate documents. It will be difficult getting them considering the circumstances. But if you are determined to, then I will do what I can to make sure you can work.” He stopped her once they were on the sidewalk. “But I don’t want you to think that you need to. I have enough accumulated to last us both several years, not to mention that I get a salary since I do the work of both an advisor and ambassador. Not a lot, but enough to live comfortably on that alone. You don’t need to feel like you need to earn your keep.” Mara took a moment to let that sink in.

Form what she understood, she wouldn’t have to work for a long time, probably ever again. What would she do with her life?

Francis smiled and kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to make a decision now. Once we get settled in  _our_  home, you can let me know what you want to do.” He laced their fingers together. “Now, I do not know about you, but I am practically starving. If I do not eat soon, I fear I will just waste away.” He said dramatically. Mara laughed and led him the rest of the way, thinking the whole way just how lucky she was.

 

That night, after meals were had and conversations and laughter were shared, the lay in bed together.

Mara had offered again to move back into the other guest room, but Francis would have none of it.

 

The emotional ups and downs had Mara just moments away from falling asleep, but she fought to stay away just a little longer, just to appreciate this moment a little more.

Francis had his arm around her and her head was resting on his chest. She had never felt more loved than she felt right at that moment, and they hadn’t even fallen in love yet.

 

She fell asleep with a smile on her face, unaware of the horrors her dreams would bring her. 


	46. Italy Romano's Route Chapter 3

The rising sun found the new couple, if you could even call them that yet, sleeping soundly in a tangle of limbs. No one would guess it and he would deny it fiercely if accused, but Lovino was a cuddler when he was sleeping. He had an arm under her head, the other around her waist and his legs intertwined with hers, effectively trapping her as close to him as possible. Not that she minded while she was asleep. If she were awake, Mara would get herself untangled as quickly as possible and have her things moved back into the other guest room before he could blink. But she was sound asleep, her head happily nuzzled in his chest.

Lovino had never been known to wake with the sun, not even when it was required, but having spent the last two days in a plane had seriously fucked with his internal clock. The singing of waking birds had him blinking his eyes open with an irritated scowl on his face. One look at the woman in his arms had that scowl melt into a sleepy smile. Waking early, while regrettable, was worth it if it meant waking to his Mara. She truly was special. Although being one of the acclaimed ‘Romantic’ Countries, living as long as he had made him hesitant when it came to serious relationships. Not only was the difference in lifespans an issue, but most women couldn’t understand the insecurities that had built up over the centuries. How could they?

But this woman, this beautiful woman seemed to see into his soul, saying the words he had been dying to hear his entire life.

_You are fricking _Italy_ , that’s so cool!_

_Italy. She called me Italy._

 

Even now, the memory made his heart flutter and a grin break out on his face. It was such a small detail, it shouldn’t have mattered to him. Both he and his brother shared the title, it was why they had the second half of their title, Romano and Veneziano. What stung was that while he was referred to as Romano, his little brother was known as just Italy. People often forgot that Veneziano only represented half of it. The other Nations never excluded him outright, he was always invited to the meeting his brother was and Veneziano always made the distinction when introducing him.

But it was the fact no one in the last few hundred years ever called him ‘Italy’. It was the way the other countries set up meetings and passed information through his brother first. It was the way everyone flocked around his brother, and only came to him for business.

Lovino wasn’t an idiot, he knew his attitude around some people rubbed them the wrong way, but if that damn stick-in-the-mud potato bastard and his annoying ass brother had a circle of friends, why was he the exception? If his attitude was that bad, why had Antonio stuck around all these years? Hell, the man has raised him, and Lovino was able to admit to himself that he was a bit of a brat back in the day.

So why was it so damn hard for people to like him?

Lovino sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He was getting himself worked up for no reason. For a while at least, he wouldn’t have to worry about any of them. All he had to do was spend time with his Mara.

She made a small noise and he instinctively held her closer.  _Probably a dream._  Their close contact made him smile again. He rested his head back on the pillow and nuzzled the top of her head and let sleep reclaim him.

 

Mara woke hours later, slowly and begrudgingly. She was normally quick to get out of bed, usually because she had to get ready for work. But this time she was just too comfortable to move, too warm to want to leave the bed. It wasn’t until she tried to shift and found she couldn’t that she opened her eyes to see a face full of chest. A clothed one, thank god. The memories from the day before came back to her and she felt her face grow warm.

Mara was never much of a blusher, but she had never had an attractive Italian man wrapped around her either. She couldn’t help but smile as Lovino gently ran his hand over her back, nuzzling her hair and muttering under his breath. No doubt his half-awake attempt to get her to go back to sleep.

The more she started waking up, the stronger the urge to distance her self became. As nice as this was, she had only just met him after all. Sure, they had gotten to know each other pretty well the day before, and she wasn’t exactly experienced with relationships, but she was sure it was too soon for waking up like this.

She slowly and delicately started untangling herself from Lovino’s admittedly comfortable embrace.

She had her legs free and was just about to push his arm off her waist when he blinked his eyes open.

“Buongiorno bella.” His voice was low and gruff from sleep and made Mara’s heart flip-flop a little in her chest. “Hey.”

He pulled her close to him and sighed. When it was clear he wasn’t going to be getting out of bed any time soon, Mara tried to get out of bed again. He let go of her with a disappointed sigh but made no attempt to grab for her again, much to her relief.

He watched her as she stretched, he was tempted to pull her back into bed with him and spend the day with her wrapped in his arms except for two things:

One, if he tried to lay in bed all day with nothing to do, he would go crazy.

Two, he had a feeling Mara was growing uncomfortable with his affection.

While that did sting a little, he had to put it in perspective. She had said she had never been in a serious relationship before and from the way she grew up, it was no surprise to him that she was unfamiliar with it. That was the reason she looked so nervous. Not because she didn’t want to be with him. Right?

He sighed and left the warm confines of the bed. He made his way to the door. “I’ll go ahead and make breakfast, Cara. Go ahead and take your time getting ready.” He was out the door before she could respond, leaving her a little confused. One minute he was sweet and affectionate, the next he was practically running away. She simply shook her head and decided to use the time to take a shower.  

 

She stood under the warm spray, her face turned up towards the shower head. Now that the rush of endorphins from the day before had worn off, her mind started working against her and her emotions were pulling her in different directions. She wanted to be cautious, she was scared things wouldn’t go right, that he would leave her heart broken, scared of losing herself in him and never being the same again.

She was angry that she was put into this mess in the first place. Angry that they didn’t seem to have a choice in any of this, that neither of them were asked if they even  _wanted_  this.

She was happy. She was downright giddy that he took an interest in her at all. That she had made him smile and laugh and that for a split second before she pulled herself away, everything had felt so right.

 

_This is too much._

 

Whoever this Higher Power was that put them together asked too much. How could she be expected to do this? She was facing  _immortality._ All those books and movies that treated it like a blessing had  _no fucking clue_. The reality of such an existence started to sink in. She would be alive for as long as Lovino was. That would mean centuries, hell maybe even millennia, who knows? And the only reason she’d been given for all of this was that some mysterious beings living in another dimension said so.

God, what had her life become? Just a few short months ago her life had been normal, depressingly so. Now there was other dimensions, magic, living countries, soulmates and immortality.

She thought back to her life before and the somehow comforting predictability of it. She hadn’t been happy, she was a victim of her parents’ addiction and greed, she had no friends and no hope of ever escaping, but at least she had known where she stood. She knew what had to be done and what her future had in store for her, whether she liked it or not.

Now, she had no clue. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff and was a breath away from falling into the vast unknown.

 

_You deserve nice things, bella._

_You look really pretty in your dress._

_You deserve to be taken care of, cara._

_It’s me who doesn’t deserve you._

_I care for Mara very much._

_I like having you in my arms._

Lovino.

 She sighed as she grabbed a towel to dry herself off. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, no matter how much it scared her to admit it or whatever was going on in her head, there was no denying that he had taken hold of a place in her heart. No matter how cautious she wanted to be, she was attached, and she knew that she would never be the same.

 

 Lovino smiled as Mara walked towards the kitchen. She had opted for loose cotton pants and a tank top instead of getting dressed up to go anywhere. Which was fine with him. He could think of nothing he would like better than spending a lazy day with her.

He was surprised when she walked up to him and hugged him without a word. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and smiled. When she sighed and relaxed against him, he felt a warmth spread through his chest and he held her tighter.

But he started to grow concerned the longer she held on to him. “Mara?” She made a small noise of acknowledgment but didn’t move. Now worried, she pulled away to look at her. “Are you ok cara?”  She gave him one of her half smiles and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”  She looked away from him and he could tell she was getting embarrassed. “I guess I just need a hug or whatever.” He chuckled at her reluctant confession and placed a hand on her cheek.

_Looks like she can be ok with affection._

From what he gathered from her yesterday and her obvious hesitation, he had assumed it would take a while of them getting to know each other before she was comfortable with any kind of casual affection.

He briefly toyed with the idea of teasing her about it, but then feared it would make her withdraw again.

He instead led her to the breakfast he had made for them.

It wasn’t anything big, just some breakfast pastries and coffee. He never could stomach a big breakfast.

 

“So,” Mara said between bites. “I was thinking since it’s our first full day here, we would just take it easy. Tomorrow we can look around town if you want.”

Lovino smiled and couldn’t help but think of how domestic this was. Talking about their plans while eating breakfast.

_Every day should start like this._

_Every day_ can _start like this._

“Hello? You there?”

He pulled himself from his realization and nodded.

“That sounds good. I was hoping to work on the garden today. The vegetable one. I don’t know much about caring for flowers.”

“That’s fine, I picked some stuff up from my grandma. I’ll take care of the flowers.”

He was just about to agree when he caught sight of her arms and froze.

“Hey, are you spacing out again?”

The relaxation in his body drained away and his tone was laced with worry.

“Why are those there?”

She looked down and covered her arms with her hands.

Had he done that to her?

He wasn’t a match to some of the other others when it came to strength, but even he had more than the average human. Had he forgotten to keep it in check? Had he  _hurt_ his Mara?

 

Mara, oblivious to his inner turmoil, though he was just shocked to see the bruises since she had covered them up the day before.

 

“They’re just leftovers from that night I was found. Most of the others are gone, but the ones on my arms and stomach were the worse, so they’re the last to go. They should be completely gone pretty soon.”

 

He was visibly relieved to find out he hadn’t accidentally hurt her but quickly grew concerned again.

He had been under the assumption she was completely healed.

“Yao said you are all better, right?”

Mara chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head. “Well, technically no. Um, I’m still supposed to take it easy for a while longer. But I think he’s just being cautious. I feel fine.”

Hoping that was the last of that, she stood and started bringing their dishes to the sink.

“So, you want to start on the garden? If we start soon, we should be done by lunch.”

“No.”

“What?” She turned in surprise. He sounded different. She had heard him happy, laughing, embarrassed and sweet, but this time he sounded almost angry.

He shook his head. “No. You are not well yet, you need to stay inside and rest.”

Mara groaned at the thought. She had been resting for three friggin weeks. If she did any more resting, she was going to go insane.

“Lovino, I’m fine. Seriously, I doing some gardening isn’t going to kill me.”

He sat back in his seat with an exacerbated noise, her phrasing making the image of her limp body in America’s arms come to mind again. “Cara-” He sighed and looked at her. He couldn’t help but smile at her crossed arms and stubborn expression.

Mara faltered at the way he was looking at her. “What? What’s that look for?”

“You aren’t going to make anything easy for me, are you?” He asked with obvious affection, which was a stark contrast to his tense tone from just a moment ago. She let out a short laugh despite herself. “No, don’t plan on it.” He walked over to her and with a laugh, pulled her to him for another hug. “Why does bickering make you happy?” “You really are perfect for me.” He said with a chuckle. Mara finally gave up trying to figure this situation out. “You’re kind of weird.”

He smiled and shook his head. “How about this,” He let her go leaned against the counter. “We work on the garden together. You teach me how to take care of the flowers so I can help, and you leave all the heavy lifting to me.”

Mara considered it. Her usually quiet rebellious streak wanted to argue that she could do the whole damn thing herself, heavy lifting included, but then figured that Lovino was just a stubborn as she was and this was the only way for him to let her help without a fight. And she really didn’t like the idea of fighting with him.

“Fine, but I’m in charge of deciding when I need a break and when I’m done.”

He sighed, clearly hoping he would be able to convince her otherwise later. “Fine. Deal.”

 

Mara was surprised to learn that Lovino picked things up quickly. After they tackled the vegetable garden in record time, she explained to him what to pull and what to leave alone. She showed him how to tell what needed to be pruned and so forth. It wasn’t long before they were working in comfortable silence, knocking out the flowerbeds one after the other. It looked like they were going to be done a little early, and they had started talking about what to make for lunch when they heard a voice calling out.

“Hello! Anyone home? I bring goodies!”

Both Mara and Lovino looked at each other quizzically, then shrugged and went to see what was going on.

Once the back porch was in site, they saw a woman around Mara’s age waving at them with an aluminum foil-wrapped dish in her hand. When they stepped up on the porch, the woman held up the plate with a smile. “See? Goodies!”

Mara, who was hilariously out of practice talking with  _anyone_  outside of a professional setting, tried to put on her most friendly smile, though she was afraid it might have turned out to be a grimace.

“Uh, thank you?”

Lovino, who had a few centuries of social interaction on her, accepted the offered plate with a charming smile. “Thank you very much, signora.” “Oh, it’s no problem! I heard someone had moved into the old place and since I live close by, I figured I should stop by and welcome y’all to the area. I’m Sadie, by the way.” “That is very kind of you Sadie.” “Um, yeah, thanks. Oh, would you like to come in?” “Thanks, but no, I can’t stay for too long. Y’know, it’s weird, I didn’t even know the house was up for sale.” “It wasn’t, I inherited it from my grandparents.” That seemed to stop Sadie in her tracks. “You-You’re one of Mrs. Sigrid’s granddaughters?” “Yeah. Mara. You knew her?” Sadie laughed, a little softer this time. “Yeah, you could say that. She used to take care of me while my Mom was out of town. I’d stop by this place after school and she would teach me how to paint and stuff. She-wow I don’t know if I should be saying this, but she was like family to me.”  Mara was stunned into silence. Family. She considered her to be family. Why didn’t her grandma ever mention her?

“I am so sorry, see, I knew I shouldn’t have said anything,” “No! um, no, it’s fine. It’s just a bit of a shock, you know?” Lovino wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in for silent comfort. “I can imagine. For what it’s worth, your Grandma talked about you and your sister all the time. Hell, I feel like I practically known you all my life.” As the silence stretched between them, Sadie cleared her throat and changed topics. “Well, the garden is looking great at least. It’s been tough keeping all of this going, but totally worth it.” “You’ve been coming out here?” “When I can. There are a few others, but most of them are getting up in their years, so they can’t come down here all that much. I see you’ve been fixin’ it up.” Mara smiled. “You’re good, you know.” Sadie smiled back. “I’m decent. No one is as good as your grandma.” “That’s for sure.” Suddenly it was as if all the tension faded away, and Mara felt much more comfortable around this new person. “Are you sure you can’t stay? We were just about to make lunch.” “Yes, we would love it if you could join us.”  “I’m sorry, I’ve really got to go, but rain check, ok? Oh, and my place is a few houses that a way.” She gestured to the other side of the woods. “Y’all come on by whenever, alright?”

 

She rushed off with a wave and a smile, then she was gone, leaving a conflicted Mara in her wake.

Lovino set the plate aside and made sure she was alright.

“I’m fine. Really. Sadie seems like someone my grandma would like. It’s just that- well I always thought we shared everything. It’s weird that she would keep this secret all those years.”

He wrapped his arms around her kissed her forehead. “I’m sure she had her reasons, cara.”

She could only hope he was right.

 

After a lunch they cooked together, which was almost too big for her to finish eating, Lovino pulled her to bed with him for a much-deserved nap. It was funny, she had never been one for naps. She had always considered the ma waste of time. However, she just couldn’t help falling asleep wrapped up in his warmth.

 

The weather after their nap proved to be hotter then it had been before, so Mara suggested they take walk down to Cold Creek.

Lovino had no problem getting his clothes a little muddied, unlike a certain other member of the Romantic Countries, as long as whatever he was doing was worth his time. Walking hand in hand with his Mara as she laughed and recalled all the times she and her sister played down here was definitely worth his time. Besides, he had left all his very best clothes at home.

 

Unfortunately, the sun had set, making the cool water of the creek just a bit  _too_  cold, and they walked back up to the house together, shoes in hand.

 

Dinner was shared with laughter and just a little wine and ended with shared dish duty and a few playful splashes.

 

That night, after he had to convince her again that he was sure that he was ok with her sharing a bed with him, that no, she didn’t take up too much room, they lay cuddled under the blankets and in each other’s arms. All this affection was taking some time to get used to, but Mara found that she felt a sort of pull towards him every time he was near her and that every touch felt right. She fell asleep like she had woken up that morning, head on his chest, limbs intertwined, and with a smile on her face.

 

 Although the peace she was building around herself would soon be broken by what was lurking in her dreams. 


	47. Italy Veneziano's Route Chapter 3

Mara lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She had been up for a while now but hadn’t built up the courage to get out of bed. Her face was still burning from what she had woken up to in the middle of the night.

_Mara had fallen asleep first that night, comfortably snuggled under the blankets. She was nervous to spend the night with Feliciano, but she trusted that he would keep his word and not try anything. She knew it was odd to trust someone like this so soon after meeting them, but she honestly didn’t think her soulmate had a mean bone in his body. All the excitement and wide range of emotions from that day caught up with her and she drifted off to sleep before Feli could even finish brushing his teeth before bed._

_She woke up a few hours later, confused as to why she was so warm and couldn’t move. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that Feli had wrapped himself around her while they slept. One arm under her head, the other around her shoulders and one leg hooked around her hips. It was a little odd, and her immediate reaction was to feel claustrophobic, but she couldn’t deny the funny feeling in her chest that brought a tired smile to her lips. Just as she was about to go back to sleep, she suddenly stiffened and did her best to not jerk away lest she wake him._

_From the contact they had between their bodies, Mara knew he was naked. Her heart pounded in her chest as all her worst fears gripped her. She took some deep breaths to calm herself down enough to realize that while he was bare, she still had all her clothes on. The string that helped keep her pajama pants up was even still tied, she was able to wiggle her hand around to make sure._

_Even though she had figured that nothing had happened, she felt an overwhelming desire to get away. She needed space. NOW. She separated herself from him none too gently and almost fell getting out of the bed. It was then she realized he hadn’t been completely nude either, he still had underwear on. She managed to slow her heart down to a normal pace as she finally realized nothing had happened._

_But still…_

_She couldn’t bring herself to get back into bed with him right now. She made her way to the second guest bedroom and did her best to settle into the small bed and go back to sleep. She did. Eventually._

Mara sighed and ran her hands over her face. It was one thing to like to sleep without clothes, that was normal. What  _wasn’t_  normal was to sleep without clothes while someone else is in the bed. Someone you  _just_  met.

Wait, sleeping in the same bed as someone you just met wasn’t exactly normal either…

It didn’t matter! Why would he think it was ok to do that?

 

She was dreading getting out of bed. She didn’t want to deal with the awkwardness that would no doubt follow a night like last night. But her stomach started to rumble, and she realized she only had one meal yesterday and she was starving. She took a few minutes longer to decide if saving herself some embarrassment was more important then food. It was a close call, but the food won.

With a heavy sigh, she rolled over only to fall off the bed. She had forgotten just how small the bed was in this room was. Calling it a Twin would be generous. Like the bed, the rest of the room was small. It had room for an old wardrobe, a nightstand with a few drawers that acted as a small dresser and a small closet that could only hold a handful of hangers. The room had originally been a storage room for her Grandma’s art supplies, but as she and Michelle got older they changed it to a bedroom, so they could have their own rooms when visiting.

 She paused at the door with her hand on the knob, took another deep breath, then walked out into the hallway. After a few tense steps, she was relieved to find she was the first one awake. This would give her time to get herself ready to deal with the impending awkwardness.

She made her way to the kitchen, figuring she could kill two birds with one stone and start making breakfast while she was thinking.

 

Feliciano woke slowly, jet lag hitting him hard enough to almost make him cranky. Almost. He reached out beside him out of habit, expecting to feel a warm body next to him. The other side of the bed was cold.

He hated waking up alone, it gave him an empty feeling in his chest that was painful. He was aware if his abandonment issues, but it wasn’t like he could help it. At home, it wasn’t so bad. He had a body pillow for when he was alone. It wasn’t the same, but it allowed him to sleep through the night. When his brother was over, they always shared a bed. Lovino would refuse at first, telling Feli to grow the fuck up, but then he would see the almost panicked look in his little brother eyes and give in every time.

When he was away from home, his usual bedmate was Ludwig. Not that he would ever agree to it, so Feli had to sneak in in the middle of the night. Thankfully, the man had the internal clock of an 80-year-old and always went to bed early. Feli only did it because he figured Ludwig didn’t really mind all that much. Otherwise, he would lock his door.

At meetings, Lovi would flat out refuse to share a bed with him, saying that it would give people the wrong idea. So instead, he would have to suffer through the nights alone. That was until Francis learned of his problem. When the Frenchman offered his bed, Feli was hesitant. Despite his reputation, he wasn’t an idiot. Francis was a Romantic country after all, and Feli knew exactly what that meant. Francis had insisted, promising he would stay fully clothed the entire time, despite his habit of sleeping naked like Feli.

Because of his wonderful friends and his brother, Feli rarely had wake up alone. He hadn’t realized just how spoiled he was until that moment when Mara was no were to be found.

He felt the familiar feeling of loneliness and panic well up inside him.  _Where is she? I need to find her!_

He sprung out of bed and ran out of the room. Thankfully, it wasn’t long until he spotted her in the kitchen, standing over the stove and humming to herself. Relief flooded him.

_She didn’t leave me!_

The panic started to recede, but he needed to touch her to ground him again. He ran up to her without hesitation and flung his arms around her, holding her tight to him as he let the feeling of her against him calm his pounding heart.

Mara let out a shout and her instincts kicked in. She tried to yank herself free and tried to elbow the person behind her, but she couldn’t reach. She was about to slam her heel on the top of their foot when she heard the person behind her speak.

“Please bella, I’m sorry, I just- I need to hold you for a bit. Please, just let me hold you.”

Mara immediately stilled. “Feli?” She felt him nod. “What’s wrong?” She had forgotten her fear and the incident from last night.

Instead of answering her, he tightened his grip and she found herself unable to breathe. “Feli!” She gasped out. He let go of her completely and took a step back. Mara took a second to gasp for air before she turned to face him. He was hugging himself and looking at her with tears in his eyes. For the moment, the fact he was still only in his underwear didn’t matter. “Feli? What the hell happened? Are you ok?” She wasn’t used to comforting people, but she was sure that he liked hugs when he was upset. She took a step towards him to try calming him down, but he took a step back. “Feli?”

“I h-hurt y-you?” Mara’s heart just about broke when he said that. “Oh no, Feli. I’m fine, I promise.” He continued to stare at her. She softened her voice and took another step towards him. “Now, can you tell me what happened?” “It’s stupid.” “No, it’s not. You’re allowed to be afraid, it’s ok. Just talk to me.”

Mara’s voice wavered as she realized she was saying what she had always hoped someone would say to her, but never did.

“I woke up. You were gone.” Mara frowned. Was that it?

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” He took her hand and led her to the couch, where he pulled her down to sit next to him. He moved her legs to drape over him and wrapped one arm around her waist, the other pushed her head to lay on his shoulder. Mara had to resist the urge to pull away. Now was not the time to get weirded out about personal space. Feli needed her. They were silent for a few minutes while Feli calmed himself down. Once she noticed his breathing had evened out, she pulled her head away so she could look at him. “You ok to talk now?” He looked down at his lap and nodded.

“I am so sorry that I freaked you out, cara. I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t expect you to wake up before me for some reason.” “Told me what?” He looked like he was struggling to explain it, so Mara instinctively reached out for him. He leaned into her palm that was on his cheek and took a deep breath. “I have some abandonment issues. It doesn’t affect me for the most part other than being a little clingy.” If the last few days were anything to go by, ‘a little’ didn’t cover it. Not that she minded all that much. “Also, it is very hard for me to sleep alone. But if there is someone next to me when I go to sleep, then I need them to be there when I wake up. Otherwise, I start to panic.”

_Ahh…_

_So that’s what he meant._

“I am sorry, bella. I know I shouldn’t be like this, I know it can get annoying. I was hoping to be stronger for you. I wanted you to see me as a man-”

Mara cut him off with a finger to his lips. “Feli, hush, alright? It’s ok. I don’t think less of you.”

He looked shocked and tried to speak again, but Mara continued to hold her finger to his lips.

She took a deep breath and sighed. “Look, I’m gonna do my best here but I am  _really_  not good with talking about this stuff.” Everything in her wanted her to keep her mouth shut. She really hated talking about her emotions like this.

“You’re not the only one with abandonment issues, alright? Mine just manifested differently than yours. Probably because what gave us the issues is different.” She took her hand away from his mouth. He was listening attentively now.

“For me, it was a series of fucked up shit dragged out over a long ass time.”

Feli was shocked to hear her swear so much. He wasn’t against it, no one could really be offended by it once they started hanging around Lovino, but he hadn’t heard her say stuff like that before.

Mara knew she would start swearing though. She had no qualms about using various swear words outside of work, but she used them more when she was feeling particularly vulnerable or upset. It was her defense mechanism.

“My mother cared for me, then stopped. My grandparents were there for me, then they died. My sister was my rock, but then she died too. The way I dealt with it was to distance myself from everyone. If I didn’t have anyone I cared about, no one could hurt me by leaving me. My way ensured that I had no friends, no one that cared about me. I isolated myself from the world because-well…because I was scared.” Feli had taken to running his hand over her back. He hated to see her so upset. She smiled at him and placed a hand on his cheek. “You dealt with it by surrounding yourself with people, by befriending everyone and striving to be the best person so everyone will like you. But you don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect alright? You don’t need to suppress your fears and flaws to make others happy, you don’t need to be strong all the time to impress me. Feli,” By now he was entranced by her. No one had talked to him like this before. The other countries had their own demons to deal with and were rarely willing to talk about them.

“I’ve never once, not seen you as a man.” “Never?” She shook her head. “Just because you show your emotions doesn’t make you any less of a man.”

He leaned his forehead on hers, looked deep into her eyes in a way that made her heart want to leap out of her chest.

“Sei migliore di quanto avrei mai potuto immaginare, Mara. Vedo ora che sei davvero la mia anima gemella. Mi accetti come sono, ma non smetterò mai di cercare di essere l'uomo che meriti.”

(You are better than I could have ever dreamed of, Mara. I see now that you really are my soulmate. You accept me as I am, but I will never stop trying to be the man you deserve.)

_God, what is this man doing to me?_

 

She had no idea what he had said, but the intensity in his stare and the sincerity of his words made her breathless and her heart pound loudly in her chest.

The silence dragged on, but they never looked away from each other. Neither of them had words to describe what they were feeling, all they could do was hope the other understood.

 “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you woke up. The truth is that ended up sleeping in the other guest room.” His brows furrowed. “Why would you do that bella?” It was then that his near nakedness became apparent to her again. She had to repress the urge to put distance between them. Feli had just calmed down, the last thing she wanted was to upset him again.

“Well, I guess it’s no big deal to you, but um, I woke up and you were only in your underwear.”

“And that makes you uncomfortable?” He asked slowly as if he had never heard of such a thing before.

“Well, yeah. I’ve only just met you, and we are just getting to know each other. For me, it’s kind of weird to be sleeping in the same bed as an almost naked man.” He considered this for a moment. He had never really stopped to think about it, but he guessed he did spend a lot of time walking around without any clothes unless he had to. He was just more comfortable that way. But if upset his bella, then he’d wear whatever she wanted him to.

 

Now that Feli was calm and their misunderstanding was cleared up, breakfast was in order. She wasn’t sure what he usually ate, and she was clueless when it came to Italian food, but she figured she couldn’t go wrong with bacon and eggs.

When he only ate about half of what she gave him, she was worried he didn’t like it.

“No, it was really good! I just usually eat much in the morning. Back home, we usually only have coffee and bread or pastry. But don’t worry, when we get home you can make whatever you want! I like trying new things.”

 

_Home._

 

It was odd to think of a place you’ve never seen as  _home,_ but that’s what it would be soon. Living with a man she barely knows for the rest of her life. She wondered how long it would take for them to fall in love. That was another odd thought. She didn’t now, but she knew that one day she would love him, and he would love her. They were destined for each other, it was inevitable. She tried to imagine being in love and have a man like him love her. She figured he would be sweet, the kind of man who would bring home flowers for no reason, to make dinner for her, to have a cozy night in and cuddle on the couch. He seemed like the kind of man who would tell her that he loved her every day.

 

“Mara?”

She snapped out of her thoughts and realized Feli had been talking the entire time. “Sorry, what?”

“I asked you if we could go into town today.” He repeated with an amused smile.

“Oh, yeah, sure. I was looking to just chill today anyway.” “Perfetto! I’ll go get ready.”

 

Mara decided that the best place to start their day would be the flea market. She knew she made the right decision when she saw Feli’s eyes light up as he took in all the different booths. There was jewelry displayed on tables, clothes on hangers, little handmade things, several types of artwork displayed proudly, and the smell of fried food permeated the entire area.

They ended up spending hours there, looking at everything they could. Mara found herself relaxing a little, laughing and getting excited with him over the handmade knickknacks. She even went so far as to start dragging him to things that caught her eye.

The more time he spent with her, the more Feli fell for her. How could he not? Although she came off as a little serious and even pessimistic, he was starting to see that was just a front. She looked back at him with a smile and showed him a small rug shaped like a cat made from yarn poof balls. That smile of hers was infectious, and every time she grabbed his hand his heart skipped a beat. The excitement she had for every new thing she had never seen and the way she gave him her undivided attention every time said something endeared her to him even more. He was used to people trying to get him to stop talking so much, but not her. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he was helplessly in love with her.

 

Once they had searched every corner of the flea market, Mara introduced him to the best part of coming to a place like this. Funnel cakes. Batter dripped into hot oil and covered with powder sugar. So simple, yet so delicious.

She was happy to see that Feli shared her love of the popular fair food. He seemed to savor every bit, his eyes closing and a smile on his face with every bite. She laughed at him, which made him open his eyes and shoot her a mock glare. He threw a piece of funnel cake at her in retaliation, to which she replied by stealing a piece off his plate and eating it. The resulting pout was just too funny not to laugh at and Feli couldn’t keep a straight face either. Their giggling and antics drew some looks from others, but the couple was too caught up in each other to notice.

 

With happy smiles and full bellies, Mara told him she had a surprise for him and led him down the street. When she finally stopped, he looked up to find they were in front of an art supply store. He looked at her, a mixture of shock and excitement on his face. She giggled and shrugged. “You said you enjoy painting and I know that we’ll be here for a few days, so I figured you would want to get some stuff. Or whatever.”  His face broke out in a soft smile and he lifted to face to look at him. “Thank you cara.” She blushed and fidgeted with her hands. “No big deal. Just thought you might need some stuff.” He shook his head in amusement and pulled her in for a hug. She just couldn’t help smiling and sinking into him, her arms wrapping around his back.

That was it for him. She was funny, smart, kind, adorably awkward and her blush was just the cutest thing he had ever seen. On top of all that was how she had dealt with his meltdown that morning and that she had remembered an offhand comment he made about liking to paint in his free time. She really was perfect for him, and he knew that he was already ruined for anyone else. She was it for him.

 

 

As soon as they walked in the door, Feli was off. He seemed to want to see everything at once, and Mara could only smile and trail after him.

It didn’t have the biggest selection, but he noticed that the stuff it did have was pretty good quality.

He had finally found the section for paints when an employee came up to him. “Hey there! You findin’ everything you need?” She was a middle-aged woman with a mess of black hair piled in a bun on top of her head. The corners of her ocean blue eyes had laugh lines and her skin was a smooth tan. She was beautiful in that effortless way that was hard to come by. “Sì, just looking at your paints. I haven’t heard of these brands before; can you tell me about them?” Just then, a phone started ringing and the woman sighed. “I’m sorry, I have to get that, but I’ll call my daughter over, she’ll be able to help.” The woman started making her way to the still ringing phone. “Sadie! There’s a guy in paints that needs your help, honey!” A few seconds later, a younger woman came bounding around the corner. If the other woman hadn’t said that she was her daughter, he would have never guessed. Like her mother, her hair was in a bun on top of her head and they were equally beautiful but that was where the similarities ended. Her hair was a dark auburn and curly, her pale skin spotted with light freckles and her eyes were emerald green. “Hey there! Are you the one who needs help?”  He grinned and nodded. “Can you tell me about these paints?”

 

Mara was in search for Feli with a basket in tow. She figured he might need one and was sure he was too excited to think of getting one. She wandered around until she heard a pair of excited voices coming from the next aisle. As she turned the corner, she saw Feli and an admittedly beautiful woman talking and comparing their favorite brands of paint. She smiled as she thought of another reason she liked him. He seemed to have the uncanny ability to make friends with just about anyone. Although considering she worked in an art store, it probably wasn’t that hard for them to get along.

Feli spotted her and waved her over. “Bella, there you are! I was wondering where you were.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and introduced her to the other woman. “This is my girlfriend Mara.” The other woman smiled and shook her hand. “Hi, I’m Sadie. Wow, you look familiar.” “I do?”  “Yeah, are you from around here?” “Not really. I came here every summer as a kid, but I haven’t been back in years.” Sadie furrowed her brows as she thought. “Hmm... OH!” She suddenly shouted, making both Feli and Mara jump in surprise. “Mara! You’re Mrs. Sigrid’s granddaughter!”

“Yeah, you knew her?” Sadie’s grin faded. “Yeah. She used to take care of me when my mom was out of town and I’d go to her house after school so she could teach me how to paint.”

Mara was shocked. Sadie was around her age, so that meant that whenever she and Michelle weren’t there, her grandma was taking care of Sadie. And she never said a thing.

“Bella are you ok?” Feli asked her softly on her ear, his other hand stroking her hair to sooth his clearly confused soulmate.

Sadie looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, should I not have said anything?” Mara finally smiled, although it was a forced one. “No, you’re ok. It's just that she never mentioned you.”

A woman’s voice called out. “Sadie! I need your help in the back!”

Sadie took out an old receipt from her pocket and scribbled something on it before giving it to Mara. “Here’s my number. I’ve got to go, but call me later and we can talk, alright?” Mara barely had time to nod before Sadie ran off to help her mother.

Mara looked over at a clearly concerned Feli. “I’ll be fine. Come on, let's get your stuff. There’s a park near here we can go to if you want?” “Are you sure you’re ok cara?” He placed his hand on her cheek and Mara smiled. “I’m fine, I promise.”

 

The local park wasn’t all that big. It had a baseball field and one that was used for both football and soccer. There was a playground for small kids and one for older ones, a few picnic tables and a walking path that circled the whole thing.

Feli and Mara were walking hand in hand on the path, enjoying the sound of children playing and watching squirrels scurry from tree to tree.

Feli had always loved kids, and they loved him. Any time he spent time in public, he would always end up entertaining a small hoard of children. This time was no exception. It started with a little boy accidentally kicking his ball to them and Feli kicking it back, then it was him returning a Frisbee to a girl who had thrown it too far, then a puppy who had gotten away from the little girl walking it.

Soon enough, he had kids pulling him to play with them and parents apologizing. Feli insisted it was fine and started a game of soccer with the kids.

Mara found an open bench and sat down to watch. She didn’t mind that he had abandoned their walk. She really did admire him for the way he seemed to get along with everyone. He was so different from her. She never took her time getting from one point to the other, she never stopped to talk to or help people. She avoided people and they avoided her. She never stopped to admire the world around her, she just kept her head down and tried to get through it all unscathed.

But being with Feliciano made her see the world in a whole new light. Everything seemed brighter, people seemed nicer and less judgmental then she remembers them being.

One of the moms sat down next to her. Usually, Mara would keep quiet and prayed no one talked to her, but she was curious if she could talk to people like Feli could.

“Hi.”   _Hi? That’s the best you got?_

The other woman smiled. “Hey, which ones yours?”

Mara pointed. “The big one.”

The other woman laughed. “Ah, but those are the best ones. I bet you’re never bored with him around huh?” Mara laughed. This wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. “Definitely not.” 

One of the kids started crying and the woman stood up. “Well there’s my cue, I’ll see you around.”

A while later, the kids had to go home and Feli walked up to her, grinning and out of breath.

“You have fun?” He laughed held out a hand to help her up. “Sì! You should have joined us.”

“Oh, I’m no good with sports. Never played any growing up.” He looked at her like she had a second head. “Never?” “Nope.” “Well, then I will just have to teach you.” He started to drag her out to the field, but she pulled him back. “Not today Feli, it’s gonna be dinner time soon. We should head back.”

He sighed in disappointment. “Fine. But tomorrow, ok?” “Alright, come on, let's go home.”

 

Feli insisted he make dinner after Mara had mentioned how tired she was. It took a while for him to finish, but as soon as she saw what he had made, she knew it was worth it. He had her sit at the table and again insisted he served her. He brought her a plate of Carbonara, a plate of seared salmon and other of salad.

“Feli, this looks amazing! You didn’t have to do all of this!” “What do you mean?” He pored her a glass of wine and brought his own plates to the table. “This must have taken a lot of work, you didn’t have to go through all that trouble.” He sat down next to her and brought her hand up to his lip for a kiss. “Bella, it was no trouble. I do this for myself all the time.” “You eat like this every day?” He laughed. “Of course. Food is important, right?” He took a sip of wine at smiled. “Eat up, bella.”

The food was as incredible as expected and surprisingly, she was able to finish all of it. Afterward, they cleaned up and changed into their pajamas. For Feli, this meant putting on loose cotton pants and no shirt. She was going to ask him to put on a shirt but figured this was enough of a compromise. They sat in the living room with more wine and talked. He told her stories of meeting the more prominent people in his history. He seemed to have met some amazing people. He painted with some of the great renaissance painters and some she had never heard of. He told her of Girolamo Fracastoro, a classmate of Copernicus and the world’s first epidemiologist. Girolamo Cardano and all his contributions to Mathematics and the sciences. He told her of when he had once meet Galileo and Evangelista Torricelli, the man who invented the barometer. He went on and on, listing giants in the fields of science and discovery, all Italian. Mara could only listen in wonder. He caught her staring and smiled. “What’s that look for bella?” “You’re amazing.” She said, still in awe. He shrugged and looked away. “They were the amazing ones, but it fills me with pride to know my people have done so much for the world.” “Still, you’re amazing, Feli.”

Silence fell between them as they continued to stare at each other. It didn’t feel awkward, just that words were unnecessary. He pulled her legs over his and wrapped an arm around her back but unlike that morning, he wasn’t clinging to her. He held her gently to him and she rested her head on his shoulder and they sat in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company.

There were so many different sides to him, he was so much more than she had thought. He was an artist and he loved science. He has seen the worst of humanity and chose to see the good. He was a pacifist who was a master fencer. He was silly and loud but held her with a gentleness she had never known. He was labeled a coward, but she saw him as courageous. He had the skill and the strength to fight back, but he would endure every hardship before he succumbed to violence.

He wouldn’t be the man who would start fights with guys who looked at her too long, he wouldn’t be the man who got angry at her for having guy friends, he wouldn’t be the typical macho man.

He would be the one who would make sure she was ok if someone was messing with her, then take her home so she could feel safe. He would be the one who made friends with her friends because he loved being a part of her life. He would be her best friend and her lover.

 

She never wanted to fall for him so fast, she wanted to take her time. The idea of spending forever with someone scared her, but she just couldn’t help it. How could she not be drawn in by him? He was everything she wasn’t and everything she aspired to be.

_He is perfect for me._

She thought with a smile as her eyes drifted closed, all wrapped up in her soulmate’s arms.

 

Feliciano smiled as he felt her breathing slow. He stood and carried her to their room and laid her on the bed, crawling in after her and pulling her close to him. He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead, silently wishing her sweet dreams and drifted off to sleep.

 

Unaware she was already in the grips of the monster that had been waiting for her to fall asleep. 


	48. Prussia's Route Chapter 3

Soft sunlight streamed through opaque white curtains, bathing the room in a gentle glow. Mara was sleeping soundly; her head sinking into the soft feather pillows and the rest of her was nestled underneath the plush comforter. Gil however, had been awake for a while. He always managed to wake early, no matter what time zone he was in. Probably due to over 400 years of living a military lifestyle.

It was odd to wake up next to someone and not have to worry about leaving before they woke up. He couldn’t remember a time when was with some one for more than a handful of nights. He had never allowed himself to get close to any one, not when there was no hope of a future with anyone except another country. No, he had never allowed himself to fall in love, except for Erzsébet.

He was still embarrassed to admit that he had originally thought her to be a man. He had hated the personification of Hungary but loved to fight him since he was a formidable opponent. Once he found out the he was a she, he had started looking for ways for them to bump into each other, going out of his way to pick fights just so he could fight her again. He couldn’t help but fall in love with her, she was so different then the other women of the time. She headstrong and a powerful warrior in her own right, never falling for any of his tricks, whether on the battlefield or his many attempts to get her to fall for him. Every time she struck him down, he fell even more for her.

But she had never returned his feelings. For some reason unknown to him, she became smitten with that snob Roderich. What she saw in him, he would never know. The first time he saw her with him; laughing instead of cursing, smiling instead of scowling, he felt his heart break in a million pieces. But he could never give her or any one else, the satisfaction of knowing that. So, he continued to fight her, to fight anyone, just to prove he still could. He didn’t need anyone. He was perfectly happy on his own.

But that had never been true, had it? He could fool others, even himself sometimes but he couldn’t fool the powers that be. They had given him a Soulmate, a person to spend his life with so he wouldn’t ever have to be alone again.

He lay on his side and studied his Mara. She wasn’t a battle-hardened warrior like Erzsébet, but that didn’t mean she was a weakling. Even though his first view of her was battered and unconscious in Alfred’s arms, he had heard how she had been found, fighting off three attackers on her own. He had admired her strength from the start. And it wasn’t just physical strength she had. He had noticed when she would grow insecure, her gaze would shift to the floor and she had a habit of chewing on her bottom lip. But she had never tried to be anything other than herself; whether it was the dressed-up beauty he had picked up from Alfred’s, or the oversized basketball shorts and band shirt wearing tomboy he saw yesterday, she was always herself. What’s more, she actually liked him. It was weird when the object of his affection wasn’t actively trying to kill him, but it made him wonder if the only thing he ever saw in Erzsébet was her strength and the challenge she gave him.  Now that it had been a few hundred years, he was able to see her faults. She was much too temperamental for his liking; a weapon wielding she-demon one second, and a proper lady the next without any warning or anything in between. They clashed on everything and the only time they were happy together was when they were fighting. Any relationship he could have had with Erzsébet would have been a toxic one.

But Mara…

She was different. She was strong without trying to over-power him or one up him. He didn’t have to try and prove that he was worthy to her. She never acted as if she was better than him, she simply acted his equal. They were so different, yet she evened him out perfectly. She could defend herself, yet unlike him she never went looking for a fight. Where he was boisterous and confidant in everything he did, she was more reserved and introspective. She was also more insecure than he was, but he was looking forward to changing that. A bit of confidence would look good on her, he imagined.

She also brought out the best in him. As soon as she entered his life, he lost the need to drown himself in beer and the women he would usually go after paled in comparison to her.

Gilbert smiled ruefully and shook his head. Yep, he had it bad for her, there was no denying it.

He rolled out of bed with a sigh. If he was going to be up, might as well be useful.

Mara woke up, a slight frown pulling at her lips when she found the other side of the bed to be empty. The faint smell of coffee reached her, and she quickly smiled. It was odd, and wonderful, that she seemed to expect Gil to be sleeping next to her as if they had been together for years instead of a few days. If she allowed herself to stop and think about it, her ever strengthening attachment to him would scare her. Surely this wasn’t normal?

But she just couldn’t help it. Even from the beginning, when she thought he was nothing more than a loud, self-absorbed fool, he had managed to make her laugh. Then once she discovered her first impression of him had been wrong, her resolve to keep herself isolated wavered. Once he decided he liked her however, he didn’t merely become her friend, no he broke through her walls like they were nothing, leaving dust and rubble in his wake and she was helpless to stop him. She never even tried. It wasn’t that is was pointless, she just found that she really enjoyed his company. His blunt and honest way of speaking grew on her and she found herself opening up to him faster than she ever had before. Then once he ended up being her soulmate, well it just seemed natural. Then there was yesterday when she stood in front of her family’s headstones and did all she could to not shed a tear. He didn’t try and sooth her or tell her not to cry, that everything was alright. He  _told_  her to cry, told her that her feelings were valid and not to be ashamed of expressing them. Then her held on to her as she sobbed, he held on tight and said he was there for her. They were so clearly made for each other, so slipping from friends to soulmates was easy, if not a little nerve-wracking at first. She considered herself lucky that she got to be friends with him before jumping straight from strangers to soulmates. She was able to get to know him first without any pressure. She learned to relax and read him a little, something she was sure would help her in their relationship.

Relationship.

Wow, that word was something she wasn’t used to yet. She was in a relationship. It didn’t feel like it, to be honest. She still felt like they were good friends, just with Gilbert being a little more affectionate than usual. And the way he talked to her was a little different. He still had fun teasing her and joking around but she had noticed that his voice would go soft sometimes and he would stare at her with this gentle smile she had never seen before.

Being with Gil was easy since he always encouraged her to be herself and speak her mind, but when she stopped to imagine their future together and how she had fallen asleep wrapped in his arms last night, that she would probably be falling asleep like that every night…

She felt her face get warm and she buried it in her pillow.

This was ridiculous, she felt like a schoolgirl with a crush. There was no guarantee that their relationship would even get romantic in the first place. Even if all they ended up being was affectionate friends, she would be happy.

Besides, what are the chances a man like Gil would want to be like that with someone like her?

Mara eventually made her way to the kitchen, where she was greeted with coffee, breakfast and a singing Gilbird resting on his owner’s shoulder. Said owner was smiling at her and held his arms open for her to hurry up and hug him. So she did just that. He wasn’t as tall as his brother and not nearly as built, but he was taller than her and to say he was solid would be an understatement. It almost felt like hugging stone. When he had hugged her the first time, just before he left to go back to Germany, she had said just that. He seemed to think it was the funniest thing in the world because he laughed for a good few minutes. Once he was able to breath again, he had proudly told her that he has  had a long time to sculpt such perfection, causing everyone in the room to roll their eyes. Their annoyance didn’t seem to bother him, he still held his head up high and gave her a sad goodbye, as if they were already best friends. He had left her bewildered, annoyed, smiling and with a faint sense of admiration. She could only dream of such confidence. The only way she was able to keep her insecurities from overwhelming her was by convincing herself that no one mattered to her, so their opinions didn’t either.

“Good morning, little bird.”

“Is  _that_  what you’ve been calling me all this time?”

He chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I thought it would suit you.”

Mara tilted her head to the side. “Why?”

He grinned and booped her nose before answering.

“You are cute, but also beautiful and easy to admire.”

Mara let slip a giggle because  _holy crap he thinks I’m beautiful,_  but then her eyebrows scrunched together. “I don’t want to be admired.”

He released her with a short laugh and had her sit down to eat. “Well too bad, I can’t help it so you better get used to it.” He set a plate of food in front of her and sat down. “It’s more than what I usually eat for breakfast, but Alfred says you Americans tend to eat a lot in the morning. It’s good, right?” When he was met with silence, he looked over, expecting her to already be stuffing a mouthful of his awesome breakfast in her mouth, but she wasn’t. She was simply staring at her plate with her hands in her lap, looking deep in thought.

“Mara?” He lightly shook her shoulder to get her attention.

Her head snapped up to him and it took her a moment to get her bearings again. “I’m sorry, did you say something?” “What were you thinking about just now?”. He saw her put on that smile he saw yesterday when she was trying to tell him everything was ok, when it wasn’t. “Oh, don’t worry, it was-”

“Don’t say it was nothing, Engel.”

“It really wasn’t that big of a deal, Gil.”

“Well, then you should have no trouble with telling me.”

Mara gave a sigh and knew she had been defeated.

“It’s just that… well I guess I’ve never thought of myself as ‘beautiful’ or anything to be admired.” “Of course you are beautiful! Hell, anyone even remotely attracted to women would admire you!” His softened his voice and leaned forward. “You don’t think you’re ugly, right Engel?” She shook her head slowly. “No but I would consider myself to be about average, you know? Just kind of vaguely attractive. Not much to look at.” Gilbert frowned a little but seemed to relax. “You are far from average. It’s not possible.”

“And why’s that?” Her lips twitched. She knew he was going to say. “Because I would never have a simply ‘average’ soulmate. They would have to be at least as awesome as me. And since you are my soulmate, that means you are awesome by default.”

 With her mood considerably lightened, breakfast was eaten in between teasing, jokes, and laughter.

It was when they were cleaning up together, much in the same way as yesterday with them standing side by side over the sink, that a question stopped Gilbert in his tracks.

“So, what do you want to do today?”

What did he want to do today?

What  _did_  he want to do today?

Surely, someone with as much experience as he would be able to keep his woman entertained for the day. Right?

He thought back to his experiences with all the other woman in his life when he realized something.

He has never, not once, spent the day with a woman. He has spent countless nights with them, but never has he been around one long enough to hang out during the day.

Has he even been on a date?

He paled slightly. No. No, he hasn’t.

An unfamiliar feeling washed over him. Uncertainty. His  _vast_  experience with women only extended to one-night stands, most of them while they were both were drunk.

But this wasn’t a one-night stand, this was his  _soulmate_ , his destined other half. For the first time in a  _long_  time, Gilbert was at a loss for words and had no idea what to do.

What did people even  _do_  on dates these days? Dinner and a movie? No, too cliché. Just dinner? Not good enough. Whatever he did for Mara would have to be better than that. If he was going to take her on a date, it would have to be the best date anyone could ever have. Anything less was unacceptable.

Do people even go on dates during the day?

 

“Gilbert?” Mara stared at him. He looked frozen to the spot, the faucet still running over a half-cleaned plate and soapy sponge still in hand. Gilbird seemed to be concerned as well. He fluttered to the top of Gil’s head and started lightly pecking to get his attention.

That seemed to do the trick. Gil hissed in pain and shook his head to dislodge the bird and make him fly off. “You ok?” Still rubbing the top of his head, he nodded. “Damn bird.” Mara giggled and swatted his hand away from his head. “Let me look.” He lowered his head so she could see if there was any damage. She tried not to notice how soft his hair was. She was shocked to notice that his hair was more of a silvery blond then just silver.  _It’s beautiful…_

“Any damage?” The question pulled her from her thoughts and she jerked her hand away from his scalp.

“Nope, all good.”

He stood back up and ran his fingers through his hair a few times to fix it, making his bicep bulge just enough for her to notice. She hoped he wouldn’t see the light pink she was sure was showing on her cheeks.  _Oh, calm down. It’s just an arm muscle, nothing to get excited over. He must work out a lot, so his muscles are well developed. Simple biology. Besides, we’re friends! It’s weird to check out you friends._

She chose to ignore the voice in her head that reminded her that they were more than just friends, the were soulmates. That might be true, but she had managed to convince herself that while they were soulmates, they would probably never get past friends. No matter how many odd feelings she felt when she was with him.

It was his turn to try and pull her from her daze. He lightly bumped her shoulder to get her attention. She had to wonder if their relationship would always be filled with awkward silences. She hoped not, but it was a little funny. She had thought Gilbert would be the one to show her the ropes and help her get a feel for being in a relationship with someone, but it almost seemed that he was just as unsure as she was. She had to be wrong though. He was hundreds of years old, surely he has plenty of experiences with girlfriends and dating. Right?

“Um, any ideas? For what to do today, I mean.” She added when he looked like he had no idea what she was talking about. He looked almost panicked for a second, but she was sure she just read the look wrong. Emotions were never her strong suit.

“Um, well, what do you want to do? You know the area better than me.” Gilbert silently congratulated himself for his quick thinking.

Mara thought for a moment. “Well, we  _could_  go into town and there are some cool things I can show you, but the property  _does_  need some work.” Gilbert waited patiently as she weighed her options. If it were just her, there would be no question. Work always came first. But Gilbert seemed like he enjoyed life and like to fool around. She didn’t want to seem boring, but she just didn’t think she could relax until everything that needed to get done got finished. “Would you be ok if we just did some gardening today? It’s in pretty good shape, so it should only be for today.”

To her surprise, he readily agreed and left to get changed out of his pajamas. She was expecting at least a little grumbling, but he almost looked…excited? She doubted he knew the first thing about gardening. He seemed to be a guy’s guy, into roughhousing, drinking, sports, lifting heavy things and all that stuff. She knew better than to question him about it though, she knew he would simply tell her not to doubt his awesomeness and that would be that.

The mental image of Gilbert kneeling in front of a flower bed with gardening gloves, pruning shears and a flowery apron to protect his clothes came to mind. A laugh forced its way out of her, coming out as a snort before she was reduced to giggles. There was no way that was going to happen, but she really wished it would.

 

With both of them clad in appropriate gardening clothes; Gill in jeans and a white t-shirt and Mara in another pair of baggy basketball shorts and a faded black KISS shirt, she led him to the flowerbed they would be working on first.  

She gathered everything they would need and started explaining what each tool was used for and what was a weed and what wasn’t when she noticed he had already started and was actually doing a good job. He heard her trail off and looked over at her with a smirk, his red eyes flashing with amusement.  “You were saying, Shatz?”  

“You know how to garden?” He scoffed. “I’m almost offended that you sound so surprised. Gardening is both relaxing and extremely awesome!” Mara had to suppress a laugh. “Oh, is it?” “I hold their lives in my hands! I must do it right, or they will die! What’s more awesome than that?”

_Oh. My. God. He is kind of a dork._ The entire time, she thought he was this super strong, cool guy and maybe even a bit of a ladies’ man, but no. Her soulmate was actually a dork.

She started laughing, she couldn’t help it. Gilbert started to tell her off for laughing at him, but the words died in his throat. The sun reflected off her hair, giving it a soft glow and her whole face lit up as she laughed. He has never seen her more relaxed or carefree, and she looked beautiful. He had seen her laugh before and she could tease him just as bad as he did her, but there was always underlying tension in her movements and her smile, as if she was bracing herself for something. Or like she was scared.

He remembered what she had told him about her family yesterday and the way her face looked completely blank as she told him everything. Only her watering eyes gave any hint at what she had been feeling. He knew she didn’t have a lot of people to care about her in her life and was determined to show her what it was like when someone cared.  _What it was like to feel loved._ He shook his head at the thought. It was true, he was looking forward the part of their relationship where they fell in love and were able to ‘bond’ and had no problem with the idea of spending the rest of his long life with Mara, but he could tell she would need some time to get used to the idea. He tried not to let it bother him that she was obviously unsure about their future but as he recently realized, he would also need some time figuring out what he was supposed to do in their relationship. He hated the loss of control he felt now that he knew he was just as clueless as her when it came to meaningful relationships. He hated anything that made him feel vulnerable. In his experience, vulnerability got you hurt or killed. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. He could feel his old instincts rise to the surface. He was once a fighter and a brilliant strategist. Hell, he still was but now a days he had nothing to fight, no troops to lead. Peace was good for everyone, but it was still boring when the only real skills you had were based on war and there was no war to fight. It was most of the reason he had turned to alcohol and chasing women, but now that he had Mara, he didn’t want to do that anymore. He wanted to be better for her, but now he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He had no goal, no mission to work towards. Well, that wasn’t exactly true, his current goal was to get Mara to fall in love with him so they could bond, but he wasn’t to worried about that. They were soulmates and he trusted the feelings he was starting to feel for her and the pull he felt whenever he saw her. He had no question if he would fall in love with her, it was only a matter of time. As for Mara, it might take longer but he had every confidence that she would do the same.

 

Mara kept glancing at Gil as they worked in silence. She wasn’t used to Silent Gil. She knew Mischievous Gil, Funny Gil, and Sweet Gil, but a Silent Gil was new to her. He worked steadily and methodically, but she could tell his mind was elsewhere. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips set in a frown. It was starting to worry her. She wasn’t used to seeing him so serious. She was worried that something was wrong, but she didn’t know how to ask. She knew that Gil would just ask outright, to hell with the consequences. But Mara was worried that if something was wrong, he might want some time to think through it. It’s what she usually did. She was finally starting to feel comfortable talking to him about her problems, but she realized he never opened up to her like he insisted that she did to him. She felt a wave of guilt that their relationship had been so one-sided. She may not have had many examples of healthy relationships in her life, but she knew that one couldn’t form if it was one-sided. There had to be mutual trust and communication. Had she really been so selfish? Their relationship may have been new, but they had been friends for weeks before she found out they were soulmates. Don’t friends usually look after each other? All she had been worried about was her own issues, not once had she thought about what problems Gil might have, or how  _he_  felt about their situation. He had sounded so excited at first, and she had been so relieved that she didn’t question it. But what if he had doubts now that the excitement had worn off? What if he wanted to go back to the way things were? Or worse, what if wanted nothing to do with her anymore now that she had dumped all her shit on him and had been selfish enough to not ask about his feelings? What if she had lost her chance at a happily ever after by being stupid and clueless? What would her life be like without Gil in it? Could she really go back to Alfred, alone and knowing that not even her soulmate could stand to be around her? Could she really act like everything was fine?

She could, she realized, and easily. It was a simple matter of turning off her emotions again. She would have to go back to who she was with her parents, just going through the motions, never really living her life or ever being happy.

A part of her knew she was over reacting, that Gil was probably fine and he just had something on his mind. If she asked him he would probably tell her and they could talk about it, but her insecurities wouldn’t let her see reason. She didn’t think she feared anything, but it was becoming clear that there was one thing she was afraid of, being alone. It astounded her, it had never bothered her before. Hell, she used to prefer it! But now, even though she knew she would survive a life without Gilbert, she didn’t want to. The thought of him leaving gave her a cold feeling that she desperately wanted to get rid of.

A pale, warm hand covered hers. She didn’t realize she had been shaking. Another hand went to her cheek and turned her head. Gilbert was looking at her, red eyes gentle and a slight frown pulling at his lips. He wiped something off her cheek and she realized she had been crying. She started getting mad at herself.  _Crying again? Really?_   _Is that all you do these days?_

“Stop it.” She focused back on Gil and recognized the stern tone to his voice. “You’re allowed to cry, remember?” She nodded and took a deep breath. He relaxed and the hand on her cheek dropped to hold her other hand. “Now, you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Mara scoffed and looked to the side. “It’s stupid.” “Maybe.” He turned her to look at him again. “But it was enough to get you upset, so spill.”

She sighed. To her, it really wasn’t that big of a deal. She was being stupid and weak, so she should just get over herself and move on. But she also knew Gil wouldn’t let it go, so she steeled herself for the disappointment and disgust he was sure to feel when he found out just how much she couldn’t control her thoughts and emotions.

“Well, I saw you look upset, and it got me a little worried. I was trying to think of a way to ask you what was wrong, when I realized we never talked about you. It was always you making sure  _I_ was ok. I realized how selfish that was and started to feel guilty about it. Then my thoughts kinda got away from me.” She trailed off in a small voice. He moved from siting on his knees to sitting on his but, getting ready for a long talk. “How so?” Mara sighed contemplated opening up to him but hesitated. It went against everything she had been her entire life to show people just how vulnerable she was. Gilbert was the only person she had let get close enough for her to show any kind of weakness and he had said he didn’t mind that she cried, but  _she_ did. The idea of turning into some weepy, dependent girl disgusted her. It was fine for others to be that way, but she had to be strong, she had to take care of herself. For most of her life, she has only had herself to rely on.

“It really was nothing.” She waved him off with a smile. “I let my thoughts get ahead of me, no big deal.” She reluctantly pulled her hands away from his and stood, brushing off the dirt on her bare knees. “Wow, looks like we got a lot done. I think we can call it a day, actually.” She gathered up their supplies and headed back towards the house with Gilbert trailing behind her, her gaze fixed anywhere but him. She missed the concern and hint of hurt in his eyes as he felt a wall close up around her.

He had thought they were past all that but he had been wrong, apparently. He wished she would trust him enough to open up to him, and he was curious as to what was going on in her head to make her cry like that. He was highly tempted to grab her to keep her from running away from him and demand she tell him what was wrong but knew that would do nothing but perhaps earn him a few bruises. She may have been acting docile, but he knew that his little bird was a fighter if she had to be.

He watched her closely as she made them lunch. He didn’t pay attention to what she said she was making, just agreed to whatever it was and sat at the counter to wait. She seemed like she was ok, she wasn’t close to tears, her hands had stopped shaking, and she was smiling as she put the food on a plate. If she wanted to act like everything was fine, then he would play along for now. But he couldn’t be sure that he would wait patiently forever. Protective instincts he didn’t know he had were urging him to take whatever was bothering her and get rid of it.

 

Mara suggested they walk down to the creek after lunch, hoping a good walk and some cold water would clear the awkward tension between them since her little outburst in the garden. She decided to stay in the clothes she was already in, simply changing her sneakers for flipflops and taking her hair out of its messy braid and twisting it into a simple bun at the back of her head. Gilbert had changed into some grey athletic shorts and a faded black shirt sporting a logo of a band she had never heard of. She did a double take when he stepped out of the room. The shorts rode low on his hips, occasionally showing off a silver of pale abs and his shirt, while a little loose in the torso, tightened a little around his chest and was even stretched around his biceps. Mara may not have been sure of her feelings for him, but no one could deny that this man was hot. Hot was not a word she usually used to describe men. She usually found them to be just mildly attractive but for some reason, Mara was almost drooling as Gilbert walked up to her with a smirk, clearly knowing what was going through her mind. She jumped up from the stool with a small scowl and a blush and headed out to the front door, Gilbert snickering behind her.

They walked in a comfortable silence for a while, Gilbert reaching for her hand and lacing their fingers once they made it out of the gate. But in typical Gilbert fashion, he was soon asking questions about her life and the things she liked. After a while, Mara decided enough was enough. “Gil, enough about me, I want to know about  _you._ ” He laughed. “Engal, I already told you about me.” She shook her head. “Not about all the battles you fought or your exploits with your friends, I wand to know about  _you._  What you like to do, books you like. What’s your favorite song? What’s your favorite food, color, stuff like that? What do you like to do for fun? Are you more of in indoors or outdoors person? What’s your favorite season?” He cut her off with a laugh. “Alright! I get it.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked, and she looked up at him. “So, you want to know all about me huh?” His words were teasing, but his voice was soft and when he glanced at her, his eyes held tender affection instead of mirth.  

Few people took the time to get to know him. He knew he annoyed most people and they decided to steer clear of him quickly. He didn’t really care though, if they wanted to dislike him without knowing him, that was fine with him. He didn’t need them anyway. Unfortunately, that left very few people who really knew him.

“I don’t really have a favorite color, but I tend to like contrasting colors. I’m partial to black and white.” He said with a small smirk. “I’m not that picky about food but I have to admit, those Italian brothers do it pretty well.” He thought for a bit. “I don’t really have a favorite book, but I like to read about adventures and biographies. I like to read about people I actually knew just to see how much they got wrong.” He said with a laugh. “I prefer music that gets the blood pumping, you know? As for fun?” He trailed off with a smile. “I like to be around people. I’ll go to a park or a packed café and just watch people. I like to play chess with people in the park too. Its usually filled with older people, but I think they like me since I already kind of look like them.” He said with a chuckle and ruffled his own hair.

“If I’m not around people, I’ll usually spend my time outside or writing, sometimes both.” Mara glanced back up at him. “You write?” “Every day for as long as I can remember.” Mara whistled low. She wasn’t sure just how old he was, but she knew he had to be at least a few hundred years. That’s a lot of writing. “What do you write about?” He shrugged. “Whatever I feel like. Usually, what’s on my mind or what I’ve done that day.” Mara cocked her head. “You journal?” She wasn’t sure why she was so surprised by that. Maybe it was because journaling was seen as a typically female pastime and men wouldn’t admit it unless their lives depended on it. He seemed to know what she was thinking because he smiled at her. “It used to be normal for any one who could write to keep a journal. A lot of famous men throughout history kept journals. Without them, new generations lose touch with past ones, and there would be nothing to document everyday life from a time where no one alive can remember.” Mara tried not to gape at him. He constantly surprised her. Just when she thought she got him figured out, he gets all deep on her and throws her for a loop. He caught her wide-eyed stare and laughed. “Even if it wasn’t normal, I don’t care. Who wouldn’t like to read about my awesome exploits! Really, I’m doing the world a favor by documenting myself for future generations to read.” Mara had to laugh and shake her head. She could see how his shifts in attitude could be seen as either shallow or a defense mechanism, and sometimes maybe it was, but she could see that that was just the way Gilbert was, constantly shifting between thoughts and feelings without warning and it looked like she was in for one hell of a ride. 

 

The sun was still high in the sky by the time they reached the creek, making its almost ice-cold waters that much more refreshing. In the summer the place would be packed and the water level would reach her waist but this time of year the water was lower, and the creek was mostly empty of people. Mara waded in and sighed as the water flowed around her knees and the cool mud squished between her toes.

Gil however, decided he needed a more dramatic entrance. He hopped in the water with a whoop and sank all the way until he was completely submerged. He stayed under for a while, then sprang back to his feet and shook the water off his hair like a dog, splashing Mara and making her yelp as the freezing water hit her warm skin. He laughed at her reaction and she splashed him in retaliation. He leaped to the side and dodged the water, sticking his tongue out to taunt her. Her eyes narrowed, and their water war ensued once again. Unfortunately, it ended with Mara leaping onto Gil to tackle him, but it backfired. Instead of falling back, he fell forward. His arms flung out to catch their fall, but Mara still ended up submerged under the water. Gil pulled her out of the water by her waist and she clung to him instinctively and started gasping and coughing. She had ended up inhaling a small amount of water and it took her a few minutes to catch her breath. His teasing laughter was contrasted by the gentle way his hands rubbed her back to help her calm down. Once her breathing was back to normal, he pulled away and flashed her a mischievous grin. “Looks like I won this one, Engal.” Mara stuck her tongue out at him and blew a very un-ladylike raspberry at him. He only laughed harder.

Their water war settled, for now. They walked up stream to a small sandy bank Mara remembered was just around the bend. Once it came into view, they noticed it was already occupied. Mara hesitated at the sight of the woman laying out in the sand. Now that she was starting to express more of her emotions, it was harder for her to hide some of her insecurities. One of them is that new people made her a little nervous. Gilbert noticed her hesitation and the uneasiness on her face and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “It’s no big deal, just one person. You’ll be fine. I’ll do all the talking if you want.” Mara relaxed a little and nodded.

The woman looked over at them and waved once they stepped onto the sand. She was an attractive woman, Mara realized. She had a willowy figure and her thick, curly auburn hair was twisted in a messy pile on top of her head. She had pale green eyes and a dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks. Gilbert waved back as they got closer. She briefly looked Gill over, but her gaze seemed to linger on Mara and she noticed that the woman’s eyebrows furrowed a bit before she introduced herself.

“Hey there! I’m Sadie. I don’t think I’ve seen y’all around her before. D’ja just move here?” Mara smiled at her accent, proving Sadie had probably lived here most of her life, if not all of it. She considered just letting Gilbert speak for the both of them, but there was something about this woman that made Mara relax a bit. “Kinda. My grandparents had a place out here a while ago and I inherited it. I haven’t been able to come and visit the place until now though.” Recognition flashed across Sadie’s face. “Your grandma was Mrs. Sigrid, right?” Mara nodded, not really surprised Sadie at least knew her grandma’s name, this was a small town after all. “You must be Mara! I was friends with your Grandma! She would let me swing by after school and learn how to paint. She would even let me stay on the weekends when my mom was out of town!” Now  _that_  shocked her. She didn’t think her Grandma ever mentioned looking after another kid while she was growing up. Ever. “Wow, I didn’t know that.” Mara said slowly, letting the information sink in. “Well, she talked about you and your sister all the time. Hell, I feel like I’ve known you for years.” Her face grew sad. “I was at the funerals. I wasn’t able to say it then and it might be a little late, but I really am sorry for all your loss. I can’t have been easy going through that so young.” Mara gave her a weak smile and shrugged her shoulders. Even after all these years, it was still hard for her to talk about it. Sadie seemed to notice and quickly changed the subject. “So you just visiting the place or you guys moving in?” “Just visiting. Gilbert here has to go back to Germany in a few days and I’ll be going with him.” Sadie smiled warmly. “Germany? That’s cool! How long have y’all been together?” Mara wasn’t sure how to answer that. She couldn’t admit they’ve only been together for only a few days. Thankfully, Gilbert answered for her. “Not long to be honest, but I’ve got no doubts about my Engal.” Thankfully, Sadie seemed to be a romantic and instead of getting a little freaked out, she almost swooned. “That is just the sweetest thing.” A jingle sounded from her large cloth bag and Sadie dug out her phone. “Well, looks like I got to go, I’ll see you around!” They waved her off as Sadie put her shoes in her bag, gathered up her flowy skirt and waded back down the creek. Gilbert flopped down in the sand and pulled Mara to sit between his legs. She was starting to get comfortable with his affection and relaxed until her back was resting on his chest. He kept his arms at his sides, still remembering Alfred’s warning about taking it slow with her. “Next time we see her, you should get her number.” Mara looked up at him, trying not to notice just how close their faces were. “Why, you interested?” Mara teased. He laughed a little and shook his head. “Definitely not. She’s too small, I’d be afraid to break her.” He smirked down at her and leaned a little closer. “Why, are you jealous?” Mara immediately sat up sat up to put distance between them and scoffed. He laughed again and sat up, closing the distance she put between them. “Aw, don’t worry little bird. I’m yours forever, remember?”

Mara blushed bright red and turned away from him. God, what was this man doing to her? One minute, he’s silly, the next he’s serious, then he’s a dork, then he’s all smooth and shit. How the hell was a girl supposed to keep up?

 

They sat for a while, but Gilbert couldn’t seem to stay still for long. Within a few minutes, he was back in the water and trying to splash her so she would get up and play with him. As she was finally dry, Mara really didn’t want to, but Gil wasn’t having any of that. He ended up picking her up and carrying her back to the water before dropping her in. She found herself sputtering and gasping once again. Mara chased him back to the place they had gotten in at, throwing handfuls of mud at him in retaliation.

They started walking back once the sun started to get low in the sky, giving them just enough time to get back to the house before the sun had fully set. They raced each other to the bathroom and Gilbert had won, but them Mara got back at him by making him clean up the dinner dishes by himself while she showered.

He was already laying in the bed by the time Mara finished her shower. He smiled when she yawned and held his arms out for her. “Come to bed sleepy head.” Mara smiled and crawled in beside him, letting him pull her into his chest and they closed her their eyes.

The last thing she heard was him whispering good night before she drifted off to sleep, feeling warm and safe in his arms.

 

But she was wrong. She wasn’t safe that night. It didn’t matter how strong or protective Gilbert was, he couldn’t fight off what had been lurking in her mind. Just waiting for her let her guard down and fall asleep. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Just because I love you, doesn't mean I need you.  
> 'Need' implies that I couldn't survive without you.  
> If you were to leave tomorrow, I would survive just as I did before I met you.  
> I Want you.  
> I want us to share all those little moments in life that will only belong to us.  
> I want us to be there for each other for all those big times that will knock us off our feet.  
> I want you by my side forever.  
> I don't need you, but I do want you.  
> And to me, that is all the more special.  
> That is real love.


End file.
